§ Mr. O'Neillasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his plans for extending the 16 to 18 action plan to S3/S4 students in secondary schools.
§ Mr. Allan StewartNo. Our plans for implementation of reforms of curriculum and assessment for 14 to 16-year-olds were announced by my right hon. Friend on 12 April. Details of the system of awards for Scottish certificate of education (SCE) standard grade were published on 29 June. Development of new courses and certification for the 16–18 age group, as proposed in our action plan, will provide the appropriate continuity and progression for all levels of achievement in SCE standard grades.