§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on future testing and assessment of pupils in Northern Ireland schools.
§ Mr. HanleyThe Northern Ireland Schools Examination and Assessment Council (NISEAC) is currently undertaking an evaluation of the pilot key stage 2 and key stage 3 assessments which took place recently. I have asked the council to let me have, by the end of May, preliminary advice on the main changes which will need to be made to the assessment arrangements next year. I have already given a firm commitment to respond to the findings of the evaluation and to make whatever changes I consider are necessary to make the arrangements workable and manageable. An announcement about the arrangements for next year will be made before the end of June.