Index: lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/authoring/template/Assessment.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rd4198d73576015c08d18ebf55f3079c84fdf3415 -r844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a
--- lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/authoring/template/Assessment.java	(.../Assessment.java)	(revision d4198d73576015c08d18ebf55f3079c84fdf3415)
+++ lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/authoring/template/Assessment.java	(.../Assessment.java)	(revision 844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a)
@@ -183,12 +183,6 @@
     public boolean validate(List<String> errorMessages, ResourceBundle appBundle, MessageFormat formatter,
 	    Integer applicationExerciseNumber, String applicationExerciseTitle, Integer questionNumber) {
 	boolean errorsExist = false;
-	if (text == null || text.length() == 0) {
-	    errorMessages.add(TextUtil.getText(appBundle, formatter,
-		    "authoring.error.application.exercise.question.must.not.be.blank.num",
-		    new Object[] { applicationExerciseTitle, title }));
-	    errorsExist = true;
-	}
 	if (type == ASSESSMENT_QUESTION_TYPE_MULTIPLE_CHOICE) {
 	    if (answers.size() == 0) {
 		errorMessages.add(TextUtil.getText(appBundle, formatter,
Index: lams_central/web/authoring/template/comms.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r5f0870a4c3f4160dc8a18aaa118dc656d32e18ce -r844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a
--- lams_central/web/authoring/template/comms.jsp	(.../comms.jsp)	(revision 5f0870a4c3f4160dc8a18aaa118dc656d32e18ce)
+++ lams_central/web/authoring/template/comms.jsp	(.../comms.jsp)	(revision 844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a)
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@
 			}		
 		}
 
-		function deleteMCQDiv(idOfDivToDelete, idOfTitleField) {
+		function deleteQuestionDiv(idOfDivToDelete, idOfTitleField) {
 			if ( confirm(mcqDeleteMsg.replace("{0}", "\""+$("#"+idOfTitleField).val()+"\"")) ) {
 				$("#"+idOfDivToDelete).remove();
 			}		
Index: lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/assessmcq.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -rf0e4b56f3140e3387e9653b56c947132eb87a2a0 -r844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a
--- lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/assessmcq.jsp	(.../assessmcq.jsp)	(revision f0e4b56f3140e3387e9653b56c947132eb87a2a0)
+++ lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/assessmcq.jsp	(.../assessmcq.jsp)	(revision 844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a)
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 <div class="panel panel-default">
 	<div class="panel-heading" id="${containingDivName}assessmentQuestionPanelHeading${questionNumber}">
+		<a href="#" onclick="javascript:deleteQuestionDiv('${containingDivName}divassess${questionNumber}', '${questionTitleField}');" class="btn btn-default btn-sm panel-title-button">
+			<i class="fa fa-lg fa-trash-o"></i> <fmt:message key="authoring.fla.delete.button"/></a>
 		<div class="panel-title collapsable-icon-left">
 			<a role="button" data-toggle="collapse" href="#${containingDivName}assessmentQuestionPanelCollapse${questionNumber}" 
 				aria-expanded="true" aria-controls="${containingDivName}assessmentQuestionPanelCollapse${questionNumber}" >&nbsp;&nbsp;
Index: lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/assessment.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -rf0e4b56f3140e3387e9653b56c947132eb87a2a0 -r844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a
--- lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/assessment.jsp	(.../assessment.jsp)	(revision f0e4b56f3140e3387e9653b56c947132eb87a2a0)
+++ lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/assessment.jsp	(.../assessment.jsp)	(revision 844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a)
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 <div class="panel panel-default">
 	<div class="panel-heading" id="${containingDivName}assessmentQuestionPanelHeading${questionNumber}">
+		<a href="#" onclick="javascript:deleteQuestionDiv('${containingDivName}divassess${questionNumber}', '${questionTitleField}');" class="btn btn-default btn-sm panel-title-button">
+			<i class="fa fa-lg fa-trash-o"></i> <fmt:message key="authoring.fla.delete.button"/></a>
 		<div class="panel-title collapsable-icon-left">
 			<a role="button" data-toggle="collapse" href="#${containingDivName}assessmentQuestionPanelCollapse${questionNumber}" 
 				aria-expanded="true" aria-controls="${containingDivName}assessmentQuestionPanelCollapse${questionNumber}" >&nbsp;&nbsp;
Index: lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/mcquestion.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -rf0e4b56f3140e3387e9653b56c947132eb87a2a0 -r844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a
--- lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/mcquestion.jsp	(.../mcquestion.jsp)	(revision f0e4b56f3140e3387e9653b56c947132eb87a2a0)
+++ lams_central/web/authoring/template/tool/mcquestion.jsp	(.../mcquestion.jsp)	(revision 844d0cb18f2b257c4536301fc3b85aee44dc3e8a)
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
 
 <div class="panel panel-default">
 	<div class="panel-heading" id="questionPanelHeading${questionNumber}">
-		<c:if test="${questionNumber > 1}"><a href="#" onclick="javascript:deleteMCQDiv('divq${questionNumber}', '${questionTitleField}');" class="btn btn-default btn-sm panel-title-button" id="deleteAssessmentButton${questionNumber}">
-			<i class="fa fa-lg fa-trash-o"></i> <fmt:message key="authoring.fla.delete.button"/></a></c:if>
+		<a href="#" onclick="javascript:deleteQuestionDiv('divq${questionNumber}', '${questionTitleField}');" class="btn btn-default btn-sm panel-title-button" id="deleteAssessmentButton${questionNumber}">
+			<i class="fa fa-lg fa-trash-o"></i> <fmt:message key="authoring.fla.delete.button"/></a>
 		<div class="panel-title collapsable-icon-left">	
 			<a role="button" data-toggle="collapse" href="#questionPanelCollapse${questionNumber}" 
 				aria-expanded="true" aria-controls="questionPanelCollapse${questionNumber}" >&nbsp;&nbsp;