The exams involved are due to be taken in June

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance board provides exams in science, history and French.

Clare Ellis from the board said pupils would not be affected and back-up exam papers were already prepared.

"The circumstances will be investigated along with Parcelforce and the police, where necessary," she said.

"I want to send out a message to all the candidates out there due to take their exams very shortly, to reassure them that there is really nothing for you to worry about," she told BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday.

"The exam boards have processes and contingency plans in place to deal with anything that happens and we are in the process of replacing the papers to the same high standards as the original ones.

"All the exams will go ahead as planned, as on the timetable and hopefully the candidates can try not to be distracted by these events and just carry on with their study."

Parcelforce said there had been an "inadvertent spillage" from one delivery van and a theft from another in England.

Recall

The board's letter to exam centres said the security breaches were "the result of the theft of a Parcelforce van which, as part of its load, was carrying AQA question papers for routine delivery to centres for this summer's examinations and to the inadvertent spillage of confidential examination material from a second Parcelforce van".

A spokeswoman for Parcelforce said both incidents happened in April.

The van was stolen on 19 April in the Leyton area of east London. Police were investigating.

As for the "spillage" of exam papers, she said: "It appears - and we are still investigating - that they were lost from a van in Nottingham. We are not entirely sure what happened."

That matter, on April 12, came to light only when some of the papers were handed in to AQA.

2005 GCSE PAPERS BEING REPLACED
3468/1F	Science (Double Award) A Modular Paper 1F	6 June pm
3468/1H	Science (Double Award) A Modular Paper 1H	6 June pm
3469/F	Science (Single Award) A Modular Written	6 June pm
3469/H	Science (Single Award) A Modular Written	6 June pm
3042/7/1	History B and Short Course Paper 1	9 June pm
3042/7/2	History B and Short Course Paper 2	21 June am
36504/LF	French B (Modular) Listening Foundation	9 June am
36504/LH	French B (Modular) Listening Higher	9 June am
36504/RF	French B (Modular) Reading Foundation	20 June pm
36504/RH	French B (Modular) Reading Higher	20 June pm
36504/WF	French B (Modular) Writing Foundation	20 June pm
36504/WH	French B (Modular) Writing Higher	20 June pm
Source: AQA