§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the proposed merit and distinction awards for general certificate of secondary education candidates.
§ Mr. Chris PattenMy right hon. Friend announced on 14 November last year, at column 269, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) that we intend to bring forward for consultation revised proposals for GCSE distinction and merit certificates and that it will therefore not be practicable for these to be introduced in 1988, the first year in which GCSE certificates will be awarded.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the proposed grade-related criteria for the general certificate of secondary education to be introduced.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe Secondary Examinations Council will be considering the responses to the draft grade criteria proposals in 10 subjects which it sent out for consultation in October last year. My right hon. Friend expects the Secondary Examinations Council to advise him on when it might be practicable to introduce grade criteria in particular subjects.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have not yet received specimen examination papers for the general certificate of secondary education; and when he expects all schools to have received such papers.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThis information is not available to the Department. Draft GCSE syllabuses in many subjects have been available for some months. The Secondary Examinations Council announced on 18 February that 76 GCSE syllabuses had been approved and that it was on course to approve all syllabuses for which it was responsible by 30 April 1986. Other syllabuses fall to be approved by the GCSE examining groups, which will be concerned to make all approved syllabuses available to schools as quickly as possible.