§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has had representations about the problems incurred by children who suffer from hay fever when sitting their O and A-level examinations; and if he will seek to move the period for sitting these examinations to an earlier date.
§ Sir Keith JosephI receive representations on this subject from time to time and am very conscious of the problem, as are the GCE and CSE examination boards, which are responsible for the timing of examinations. Bringing forward the date of summer public examinations so as to help candidates suffering from hay fever would not
£ million cost terms 1978–79 base* 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 Central Government Current and Capital† 1,565 1,595 1,659 1,645 1,645 1,634 1,617 of which Central Government Capital 160 178 164 155 145 137 141 * The figures have been derived by adjusting the cash outturn for past years and cash provision for 1984–85 to a base of average 1978–79 prices using the deflator for gross domestic product at market prices. † Principally universities and other HE institutions, science and student awards.