National Vocational Qualifications (Hansard, 26 March 1991)

§ 7. Mr. Moss
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the implementation of national vocational qualifications.

§ Mr. Howard
The Government are fully committed to the far-reaching reform of vocational qualifications being carried out by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications under the leadership of Sir Bryan Nicholson. The council has been set the target of completing the framework of reformed qualifications to cover 80 per cent. of the working population by the end of 1992.

§ Mr. Moss
Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that national vocational qualifications offer working people of all ages the chance to have their existing skills recognised and set clear targets for their future training needs? Does he also agree that such skills can be attained only if we set standards of training that are as good as those of our European competitors?

§ Mr. Howard
I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. The standard of training and the qualifications go together. I hope that many people will take advantage of the tax relief in the Budget to exploit the opportunities that are available in order to provide better training to achieve these qualifications.

§ Mr. Leighton
We must hope that the country makes progress in these important matters. How shall we know whether we are making progress unless there are clear targets and figures to be achieved? What steps is the Department of Employment taking to set national targets 754 and time scales so that we can check whether we are making progress and, if not, so that we can take the essential remedial action?

§ Mr. Howard
I have set the National Council for Vocational Qualifications a very clear target of covering 80 per cent. of the work force with the relevant qualifications by the end of next year. In terms of other targets I look forward to the results of the work that the CBI, in association with other bodies, is carrying out. When that work is complete, we shall consider how best to move forward on the basis of targets specifically related to responsibilities, so that those who are set the targets are able to achieve them.