SOUTH Essex MPs have led attacks on the Government over the “fiasco” surrounding the marking of Sats exams affecting thousands of pupils across the country.

Mark Francois and Bob Spink spoke out in a Commons debate in which Schools Secretary Ed Balls said he “shared the frustration and anger of pupils, parents and teachers” over delays in the release of this year’s results.

Markers have yet to process almost a quarter of the Sats exams and return them to schools in England.

Just over 6 per cent of science papers and almost 6 per cent of maths papers for 14 year olds are still unmarked.

About one in five primary schools is still waiting for the American company ETS to deliver the results of tests taken by 11 year olds.

Mr Balls said the delays should never have happened.

Mark Francois, Tory MP for Rayleigh, told the Commons: “I listened carefully to the Secretary of State’s rather extraordinary statement, which could best be summarised as saying ‘this is absolutely nothing to do with me. I’m just the Secretary of State in charge of the department’.

“Is it not the truth that this is a complete fiasco, that it has happened on his watch and that ultimately the buck rests with him and no one else?”

Mr Balls responded: “I am accountable to Parliament for schools policy, and that includes the delivery of the tests. However, the responsibility for delivering those tests lies contractually with ETS Europe.”

Bob Spink, UKIP MP for Castle Point, called on Mr Balls to reduce the amount of external testing for pupils.

He said: “We should trust teachers more. They are excellent, and they have the right judgment about children in their care. Trusting them more would save a lot of money and anguish.”

Mr Balls told the Commons: “I disagree with him, and believe that the information from the tests is a very important part of our drive to raise standards in primary and secondary schools. On this matter, we will have to agree to disagree.”

Billericay Tory MP John Baron had earlier called on Mr Balls to make a statement about the issue.

Mr Baron said: “Ministers were hiding from Parliament hoping to avoid explaining why thousands of our children are still awaiting their Sats results. This whole episode has been a fiasco.

“That is why it was important to bring Ed Balls to the Commons to hear about the anger of teachers and families up and down the country.”