- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 15 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any person or body acting on its behalf sought to influence statements by Professor Lindsay Paterson of Edinburgh University regarding the examination system.
Answer
No. A Scottish Executive official contacted Professor Lindsay Paterson on 11 August to ask him to assist in resolving the difficulties by sharing with the Executive the evidence of problems with the production of this year's exam results which he had referred to in interviews. Professor Paterson declined, and I am not aware of any further contact by or on behalf of the Executive.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 14 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Qualifications Authority used probationary teachers as markers for this years exams, whether it approved such measures, when it became aware of whether such measures were being taken and whether it considers that such measures should not be taken in future years.
Answer
The recruitment of markers is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and does not require approval by the Scottish Executive. As I said in my statement on 6 September, I was informed by SQA that they have now identified eight probationary teachers who were used as markers this year. The normal quality assurance checks had been applied to their work before the issue of examination results and this resulted in the performance of all of the markers being placed in the top two categories of quality used by SQA. I received all of that information last week. The independent inquiry which I have commissioned will look at recruitment of markers and will make recommendations about how procedures should operate in future.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 14 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the statement on 20 August 2000 by the Deputy Minister for Children and Education on the BBC Radio Scotland programme Eye to Eye that necessary resources would be made available applies only to this year's situation in relation to examinations or also for subsequent years.
Answer
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) have been offered additional resources to ensure the efficient running of the awards system on several occasions over the past year. The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and I have asked our officials to discuss with SQA urgently their resource needs both for this and subsequent years.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 14 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or anyone acting on its behalf approached the bodies in England responsible for awarding 'A' level results to ask whether the English bodies would delay release of their results and, if so, who made the approach, on what date, and what response was received, and whether it consulted Her Majesty's Government before any such approach was made.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 13 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review and reallocate subject areas of ministerial responsibility in the light of the division between existing departments of responsibility for matters arising from the examination marking process.
Answer
I shall consider all aspects of the relationship between Ministers and the SQA in the light of the review of the authority which was announced on 6 September.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 12 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will appoint a Minister solely responsible for tourism and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
No. The Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has responsibility for tourism.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 12 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it approved a reduction in the rate of remuneration paid to examination markers or, if this was a matter for which the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) were responsible, whether it was aware of a decision of the SQA to make such a reduction; whether it expressed concern to the SQA about the impact such a decision might have and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre all documents relating to a decision on this matter which were passed between it and the SQA.
Answer
The payment of markers is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. There is no requirement for approval by the Scottish Executive and no documents dealing specifically with this matter passed between the Executive and SQA.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 12 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to reduce the amount of internal assessment of pupils from the level that was required in the first year of Higher Still and, if so, whether it will consult teachers on what amount and type of assessment is in the best interests of pupils' education.
Answer
As I announced at the end of June, SQA are consulting on changes to the English and Communication course, which could involve changing the level of internal assessment. I am meeting the organisations represented on the Higher Still Liaison Group on 13 September and will discuss internal assessment issues with them.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 12 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Scottish pupils will this year be disadvantaged in respect of (a) being unable to attain a place in a degree course of their preference and (b) being unable to attain a place in the institution of their first choice as a result of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service being unable to determine applications from Scottish pupils until questions over the integrity of their qualifications were resolved.
Answer
Conditional offers of university places had been held open while final queries on Higher results were resolved. This has now been done, and the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service has passed the information to institutions. Places are being confirmed for students who met the conditions of their offer.
Those students who did not achieve the grades required for their first choice will be going through the clearing process as would be the case in any year. Institutions have been given additional flexibility on the number of places they can offer so as to ensure those who entered clearing late are treated in the same way as if they had entered the process earlier.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 12 September 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) first made it aware of difficulties in the discharge of the SQA's functions in relation to this years Scottish Examinations.
Answer
As I explained in my statement on 6 September, the Scottish Executive took the initiative by raising with SQA in March concerns raised by schools and colleges.
