Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has been under scrutiny after it was revealed she failed to declare her income from a school textbook on the ministerial register of interests, despite having declared it on the MSPs’ register. The revelation comes just days before the end of the five-year session at Holyrood and has sparked concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest.

Conflict of Interest Concerns

Jenny Gilruth, who serves as the Education Secretary, is the co-author of a textbook for students taking the National 4/5 Modern Studies course. According to the Scottish Government, she expects to receive approximately £500 per year in royalties from the book. While she did declare this income on the MSPs’ register of interests, she omitted it from the ministerial register, which is required by the Scottish Ministerial Code.

The Scottish Ministerial Code explicitly states that ministers must declare their interests on both the MSPs’ register and the ministerial register. The code adds: ‘Ministers are reminded that the provisions of the Ministerial Code are additional to the requirements of the Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006, which apply both to Ministers who are MSPs and to the Law Officers.’

A revised version of the ministerial register, published on Friday, March 13, notes: ‘As noted in her MSP register of interests, the Cabinet Secretary published an educational text book before she was a Minister.’ However, this clarification does not absolve her of the responsibility to disclose the income on both registers.

Content of the Textbook

The textbook in question is titled ‘Leckie Course Notes – National 4/5 Modern Studies: Thorough Textbook to Learn CfE Topics.’ It was co-authored by Elizabeth Elliott and Jenny Reynolds and first published by HarperCollins in 2014. The content of the book has raised eyebrows, particularly a passage that discusses the Scottish Parliament’s role in reserved matters.

The passage states: ‘The Scottish Parliament has passed a number of laws that Scottish people are in support of, such as free university tuition and free prescriptions. On the other hand, although the Scottish Parliament can hold debates on reserved matters it cannot change the law or make decisions on these matters. For example, MSPs debated Brexit in 2018. However, they had no say which was held in the House of Commons in London. Many people think it is unfair that the Scottish Parliament cannot pass legislation on reserved matters as they feel that these important aspects of Scottish people’s lives shouldn’t be controlled by Westminster.’

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Miles Briggs criticized the textbook, saying: ‘It’s outrageous that Jenny Gilruth is pocketing royalties from a school textbook that reads more like an SNP propaganda manual than a balanced guide to politics. We only found this out after she belatedly updated her register of interests – a classic example of handing in your homework late. Parents will be furious that their kids are being fed one-sided political spin and downright lies about parties and policies while the education secretary – who is lamentably failing teachers and pupils – cashes in. Classrooms should be places for facts and balanced debate – not taxpayer-funded brainwashing that would make the Kremlin blush.’

Background of Jenny Gilruth

Jenny Gilruth was a teacher before becoming an MSP in 2016. She taught Modern Studies at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and Social Subjects at St Columba’s RC High School in Dunfermline. She held several ministerial roles from 2020 before being appointed Education Secretary in 2023.

In the MSPs’ register, she declared: ‘I expect to receive remuneration of up to £500 per annum. This remuneration represents royalties for a text book written prior to my election and I do not expect to undertake any publishing work during this session.’

The controversy has reignited discussions about the need for greater transparency in the political process. Critics argue that the failure to declare income on both registers undermines public trust in the integrity of the government and raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. The issue also highlights the importance of ensuring that educational materials used in schools are neutral and balanced in their presentation of political and social issues.

With the upcoming general election, the timing of this revelation is particularly significant. The controversy could influence public perception of the Scottish Government and its commitment to transparency and accountability. It also raises questions about the role of education in shaping the political views of young people and whether the curriculum should be influenced by political agendas.

The Scottish Parliament is expected to address the issue in the coming weeks, with calls for a review of the ministerial register of interests and the procedures for declaring outside income. The education secretary is also under pressure to provide a detailed explanation of why the income was not declared on the ministerial register and what steps will be taken to prevent similar issues in the future.