§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have rejected proposals to stop compulsory dissection of animals as part of A-level biology examinations, and, if so, whether they will reconsider their decision, as objections to animal dissection may discourage pupils from pursuing the study of this subject.
§ The Earl of SwintonThe Government have no plans to seek to issue guidance on the issue of the inclusion of a limited amount of dissection in A-level biology syllabuses and examinations. Decisions on such requirements are for the GCE examining boards themselves, as was made plain when representatives of the boards recently met officials of the Department of Education and Science and of the Secondary Examinations Council to bring them up to date on the current position. The Government have made it plain that they recognise that this issue is a difficult one, which merits discussion by all of those professionally concerned.