§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will institute an inquiry with a view to legislation to transfer school and university examinations from June to some other month, in order to permit the switching of holidays for children and parents from the normally wet month of August to the normally fine month of June.
§ Mrs. ThatcherNo, Sir.
§ Mr. AllaunIs the right hon. Lady aware that the average rainfall in the last 10 Augusts was 86 mm. compared with 61 mm. in the last 10 Junes? Therefore, since many families, including their children, are forced to spend wet and miserable holidays in August, would she listen to the directors of education, who say that it is practicable to alter the examination dates?
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe Department put out a document some five years ago asking for the views of people on changing the time at which examinations were held. It met with no favourable response, and it seems that people prefer to have the examinations in June.