§ 68. Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many qualifications have been accredited to date under the National Council for Vocational Qualifications scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CopeThe National Council for Vocational Qualifications has accredited 80 qualifications to date and is making good progress towards the objectives set by the Government in 1986. The council is on target to have the first four levels of the national vocational qualification framework in place by 1991.
§ 95. Mr. LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will be in a position to publish findings of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications inquiry into vocational qualifications; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CopeThe National Council of Vocational Qualifications was established in September 1986, following the report of the review of vocational qualifications working group, to develop a national vocational qualification framework covering all occupations and to improve qualifications themselves by basing them on the standards of competence required in employment. Good progress is being made on both fronts and the council is on target to have levels 1–4 of the framework in place by 1991. A copy of the council's first annual report has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
§ 100. Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to draw up a scheme of comparable competence for vocational qualifications on completion of the European Community internal market in 1992; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CopeThe Training Agency is already coordinating the United Kingdom's response to the European community's initiative to establish the comparability of vocational qualifications in the Community. It is expected that this work will continue beyond 1992 and that the results of the first qualifications to be compared will be published this year.