§ Mr. Alan Howarthasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the reports of Her Majesty's inspectors who have visited other countries in order to compare standards and achievements of schools there with standards and achievements of schools in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephHer Majesty's inspectors undertake a number of visits abroad each year, for a variety of purposes. None is concerned directly to compare standards and achievements in schools, although some do focus on aspects of provision and assessment which bear on these issues. They are often short, informal visits by one or two HMI which do not lead to full written reports. However, in June 1985 a group of Her Majesty's inspectors spent two weeks in the Federal Republic of Germany studying curriculum and examinations for 16 to 19-year-olds in540W ordinary schools and arrangements for the periodic assessment of pupils aged 10 to 19 throughout the school system. It is hoped that a report of that visit will be published later this year.