§ 27. Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to assess the independence of external examiners in the higher education degree process. [103705]
§ Mr. WicksMy right hon. Friend has no such plans. External examiners are contracted by, and answerable to, the autonomous higher education institutions who appoint them. The institutional reviews undertaken by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education look at a range of issues relating to external examiners.