Speaking in Inverness during the latest ministerial roadshow on the education bill, Peter Peacock said: “It is for those in Scotland who support performance-related pay to argue for it. We won’t be doing that.”

Mr Peacock said he did not expect any evidence would be submitted to the McCrone in-quiry supporting performance-related pay tied to exam results, “particularly when we are starting a debate in Scotland which seeks to look more at qualitative measures of what constitutes good education, and not simply quantitative measures.”

Last week David Blunkett, the English Education Secretary, unveiled plans to introduce performance pay from next September. It will feature annual reviews of teachers “against individually agreed objectives, including pupil progress.”

Pupil targets, however, will be based on prior attainment and the school’s circumstances.