§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions were given to the research team at Northern college dealing with the assessment of advancement programme on second round mathematics as to whether it could discuss with anyone the design and conduct of the 1988 research.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe contract with the Northern college is covered by the standard conditions governing the award of grants for projects in the assessment of achievement programme. The design and conduct of the 1988 assessment of achievement programme mathematics project was discussed with the project's steering committee and with the assessment of achievement programme central support unit at the Scottish Council for Research in Education. The research team described their work at the annual conference of the Scottish Educational Research Association in 1988.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether pupils in grant-aided schools were(a) tested in 1983 and (b) included by Northern college in the assessment of achievement programme 1988 sample survey of second round mathematics;
(2) what discussions took place involving the steering group responsible for the research programme covered by the Northern college on changes in performance at P4 and P7 between 1983 and 1988 before the interim report was requested.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythI refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave on Friday 12 May 1989.