CONFIDENTIAL #
XCC(75)42
(b)
(c)
(d)
10 -
the Board was unanimous in its view that the Authority should be set up and must enjoy full operational independence;
the Board was divided, however, over the financing of the Authority's activities. The majority view was that the Authority should seek to become self-financing (as is proposed in this memorandum) provided the Government would devise a scheme of assistance to ensure that no pupil will be deprived of the opportunity to sit for examinations through lack of means. The minority view held that the Government should continue to subsidise, unconditionally, the management of examinations; and
the Board advised that the Authority's relationship with the Government should be made clear during the planning stage. Two points were made. Firstly, in future it would be for the Government to decide what and at which point of the educational process exami- nations were required; the Authority would merely carry out these decisions. Secondly, it would be necessary to devise some kind of machinery to ensure that a proper relationship is maintained between those who plan examinations (i. e. the Authority) and those who regulate educational practice and curriculum (i. e. the Director of Education, the Universities and other academic institutions).
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The Board is thus firmly of the opinion that the Authority should be set up and should enjoy full operational independence. As regards paragraph 23(c), the majority view (namely, that the Authority should seek to become self-financing) is consistent with the proposals set out in paragraphs 16-18 of this memorandum and, as it is a majority view, can be taken as being the formal advice of the Board. The points made at (a) and (d) of paragraph 23 will be carefully examined during the planning stage.
Advice Sought
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(a)
Accordingly, Honourable Members are invited:
to advise whether the Hartwell Report should not now be published (paragraph 22);
CONFIDENTIAL