Written question asked by Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 June 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 June 2007. It was answered by Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour) on Monday, 25 June 2007 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Pupils: Hay Fever

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of changing the timings of (a) GCSE and (b) A-level examinations, with particular reference to the effect on seasonal allergic rhinitis sufferers.

Answer: It is the responsibility of an independent body, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), to timetable GCSE and A-level examinations on behalf of the awarding bodies. The JCQ seeks to take into account a range of different conditions and circumstances which can affect performance in examinations. Under present arrangements, candidates who suffer from hay fever on the day of an examination may apply via their examination centre for ““special consideration””, which can result in an increase in their marks by up to 2 per cent., depending on the circumstances.

Secondary information