The two recent (2003) international surveys of pupils' attainments were uncoordinated, overlapped considerably, were costly and wasteful, especially from the point of view of England where inadequate response-rates meant that no reliable comparisons at all could be made with other countries. The surveys were conducted by the OECD (Programme of International Student Assessment--PISA) and by the US-based International Educational Assessment group (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study--TIMSS). Sources of the problem are investigated. (Contains 21 notes.)