delay to the new exam courses relating to the new curriculum could be damaging for pupils. The education secretary said: "The majority of teachers are telling me don't delay." He said any delay would be disruptive for children in S2 who have been taught the new curriculum over the last three years. Mr Russell insisted support would be given to any school which had concerns about the implementation of the exams. The Scottish government agency Education Scotland is to carry out an audit to find out how well prepared individual school departments are. Scottish Labour MSP Neil Bibby said the support that was necessary to address schools' concerns was "more time for teachers to prepare for exams." The education spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives, Liz Smith, said the decision to delay exams should lie with individual schools and departments not local authorities or government. Mr Russell said he would first like to see support provided to get schools ready, but if at the end of the day that could not be done schools could have that right and of course that option would exist. The committee then unanimously agreed to approve the draft Public Services (Recovery of Expenses in respect of Inspection of Independent Further Education Colleges and English Language Schools) (Scotland) Order 2012. This would allow Scottish Ministers to recover the costs of Education Scotland carrying out inspections in independent further education colleges and English language schools.