Should examiners read more widely?

In response to Geoff’s item on Friday, I wonder is this is the same examiner as the one who marked a question about the impact of prolonged deflation on UK macroeconomic performance, in a script I have seen. The student made a good point about unemployment, and sticky wages. He goes on to consider the impact of the flexibility of the labour market, giving the example of the relatively low fall in UK unemployment over the last 2 years as workers agreed to cut hours or pay - the examiner has written, in large capitals, “IN RECESSION?”

Yes, actually. This is a statistical fact that had been covered fairly extensively on this blog earlier in the year, and was used accurately and appropriately in the answer. I do not doubt that examiners do a very difficult job under trying conditions and for too little pay, but it is hard to see good application of knowledge of the UK economy being rejected in a student’s exam script.