§ 6. Miss Harvie Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now publish the analysis of examination results as announced in July and considered by the Scottish Examination Board, in the light of the use of calculators.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Frank McElhone)This is a matter for the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board—but since it was raised by the right hon. Lady on 21st July we have been in touch 411 with the board and it is pursuing the matter.
§ Miss Harvie AndersonDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that his reply is wholly unsatisfactory? Is it not possible to make an analysis of recent results? Surely it must be possible to identify pupils who used calculators and those who did not. If, as I suspect, there is shown to be an inbuilt benefit to those using calculators, will the hon. Gentleman undertake either to supply them to all pupils taking examinations or to say that calculators must not be used in examinations?
§ Mr. McElhoneThis is a matter for the board, which is keenly aware of the need to ensure equity and fairness in examinations where some candidates are using caluculators. The board believes that its arrangements and the way in which it presents examination papers do not give a significant advantage to anyone using calculators, contrary to what the right hon. Lady said in her supplementary question on the last occasion when she raised this subject. The board is today re-examining its attitude to this matter.
§ Miss Harvie AndersonIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to ask leave to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.