§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will investigate the problems faced by examinees who, because of physical handicap, require additional time to answer questions in public and internal examinations; if he will issue a guideline to all examining boards, authorities and schools regarding time compensation for examination purposes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. BoysonExamination boards and schools generally recognise that allowances need to be made for many physically handicapped pupils and that in some cases extra time is required to complete papers. All the GCE and CSE boards make some provision for handicapped candidates, but policy varies from board to board. It is desirable that boards should aim at a more uniform approach, and my right hon. and learned Friend will bear this objective in mind when he comes to consider the draft national criteria for assessment in connection with a proposed single system of examining at 16 plus on which the boards have now begun to work.