Exam board to slash 20 posts

Scotland's exam board is cutting jobs in a bid to save money.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) blamed "budgetary pressures" for the move which comes as new qualifications are published.

It is asking 20 staff to go voluntarily, across both the Dalkeith and Glasgow sites, in what it is calling an "early release" scheme.

A spokesman said: "We've provided our 650 staff with details of a voluntary early release scheme. Like all public-sector bodies, SQA is facing budgetary pressures.

"We anticipate that the Scottish Government funded scheme would see up to 20 members of staff choosing to leave the organisation by the end of March this year."