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We could talk more about the costs that go with that compression and overassessment, but I have no doubt that my colleagues will get on to them.

I will bring in Fergus Ewing, who wishes to ask a question at this point.

That is what the OECD encourages us to do, is it not—to go back to the vision?

Thank you for asking that question. I, too, have had representation from students in colleges who are reporting similar experiences to the ones that you just described.

I quoted earlier the statistic from your survey that 36 per cent of teachers believed that the evidence that they collected truly demonstrated people’s attainment, which means 64 per cent did not believe that. That is a startling statistic.

We will go to Bob Doris for questions for the remaining 10 minutes.

I thank Larry Flanagan, Seamus Searson and Tara Lillis, who have been our panellists for the past hour and a half. We really appreciate your giving us your time. We thank you for not just your oral evidence but the written evidence that you submitted in advance of the meeting, for which we are very grateful.

We will conclude our evidence taking on the alternative certification model next week, when we will take evidence from the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

The public part of today’s meeting is now at an end. We will consider our final two agenda items in private.

Audrey, do you want to comment on whether there should have been more guidance, or less?

We will come back to that issue. I think that Audrey May was saying that some of the criticisms are a little bit after the event. It was a very difficult situation that people were managing their way through.

Thinking back to that period, were you looking for more guidance than you got at the time?

Kaukab wants to say a brief final word.

I thank Audrey May and Tony McDaid for joining us. The evidence that they have given has been insightful and very useful.

I suspend the meeting briefly to allow us to change panels.