To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what evidence he has evaluated on whether there has been grade inflation in (a) GCSEs and (b) A levels since 1990; and if he will make a statement. (151195)

It is for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as the independent regulator to act to ensure that standards in both GCSE and A level are maintained. Since 1997, QCA has carried out reviews of standards in a wide range of A level and GCSE subjects. The reports are available on their website at http://www.qca.org.uk

The Independent Committee on Examination Standards chaired by Dr. Barry McGaw, Director for Education at OECD, published its findings about A levels in December 2004. The report concluded that:

no examination system at the school or other level is so tightly or carefully managed;

strategies for maintaining comparable examination standards across awarding bodies are adequate to the task;

the awarding bodies have broadly consistent and well-regulated systems for setting question papers, managing marking and awarding grades; and

QCA has robust systems in place to monitor and regulate the work of the awarding bodies.

The improvements we have seen reflect the hard work of pupils and teachers supported by record investment; double the number of support staff and billions invested in rebuilding schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the use of multiple choice questions in GCSE English exams; and if he will make a statement. (151196)

It is for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as the independent regulator to ensure that exams are fit for purpose and to make judgments on how to govern the use of multiple choice questions.

While elements of multiple choice testing may be included, this would be within the context of an exam that maintains the high standards of GCSE and requires a suitably challenging breadth and depth of knowledge. For instance, candidates will still have to read Shakespeare, write essays and give reasoned, individual responses to texts to pass English GCSE.