§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is his policy, in relation to the proposed circular on statutory approval of qualifications under the Education Reform Act, on approving the continuation for 1989–90 of existing two-year courses; whether he intends to approve all existing courses for 1989–90 in order to enable pupils to complete courses they have already started; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the arrangements made by his Department and the Schools Examination and Assessment Council to draw up a complete list of existing two-year courses for the purpose of enabling their completion by pupils before August 1990; what arrangements he proposes to make regarding (a) the statutory approval of any courses that prove to have been omitted from the first list to be approved and (b) enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Education Reform Act concerning unapproved courses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI shall exercise my powers under section 5 of the Education Reform Act 1988 to approve qualifications on the advice of the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC). I expect shortly to receive the council's advice about qualifications for certification in July 1990 and July 1991. In considering that advice, I shall naturally have careful regard to the implications for pupils and schools. I expect to reach decisions next month. Those decisions will be made public and my Department will simultaneously issue a circular describing the basis on which they were arrived at and the procedures for implementation.
§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the overall cost to his Department, the Schools Examination and Assessment Council, local education authorities and schools of the recent draft circular on statutory approval of qualifications; what proportion of this overall cost relates to the list A compilation of courses which are to be given temporary approval for 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerA number of staff in my Department, the School Examinations and Assessment Council, local education authorities and schools have contributed to drawing up and responding to the draft circular on the approval of qualifications. That work in the great majority of cases represents a negligible addition to the duties of those at each level in the education system responsible for the administration of examinations. It would therefore not be meaningful to assess additional 313W costs associated with that work, still less with any particular aspect of it; and to seek to do so would itself involve the Department and others in disproportionate cost. The cost of printing the draft circular was £3,410.