- 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 what its estimate is of any additional costs which will be incurred by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) or itself arising from the situation in relation to this year's Scottish examinations; whether it has received from the SQA an estimate of any such costs; whether it will place its estimate of these costs in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, and whether it will include within this estimate details of any additional costs covering (a) overtime paid to staff, (b) costs of recruitment, (c) payment to additional workers, (d) any payments of higher rates to markers if this has been necessary because of any shortage of markers, (e) any hire of extra premises including any use of an indoor bowling club and (f) any additional costs in relation to handling of appeals including remarking of papers.
Answer
Officials are discussing with SQA their resource needs. In addition, there may be expenditure implications that flow from inquiries that are underway. Estimates of any additional costs will be notified to Parliament in the usual way.
- 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 will quantify the impact on the number of school pupils admitted to further or higher education this year of any difficulties with the examination marking process.
Answer
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service announced on 13 September that the number of Scottish students entering UK higher education institutions is 3.3% higher than this time last year. Information on admissions to further education colleges is not collected centrally, but I understand that they have agreed not to withdraw conditional offers of places from applicants whose results were incomplete or are subject to appeal.
- 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.
