§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions have taken place between his Department and secretaries of the General Certificate of Education examining boards concerning the removal of animal dissection from the A-level biology syllabus; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DunnRepresentatives of the GCE examining boards recently brought officials of the Department and of the Secondary Examinations Council up to date on the current position on requirements for dissection in A-level biology syllabuses. It was made plain by the Department at that meeting that decisions on such requirements are for the GCE examining boards themselves.
The issue of the inclusion of a limited amount of dissection in A-level biology syllabuses is a difficult one, and merits discussion by all of those professionally concerned. The Government have no plans to seek to issue guidance on it.
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million Expenditure by: Central Government on maintained schools 35 37 40 34 34 on other schools 10 8 9 13 18 Local education authorities on maintained schools 5,374 6,514 7,032 7,479 7,831 on other schools 93 116 127 127 130 Notes:
1. Expenditure includes capital as well as current spending, and assistance with pupils' fees as well as direct expenditure on the provision of education.
2. "Other schools" includes non-maintained special schools and direct grant schools as well as independent schools.