§ 22. Mr. RiddickTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the work of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.
Mr. JacksonThe National Council for Vocational Qualifications was established in 1986 and is a central feature of our vocational education and training policies. It has a lead role in bringing about a comprehensive and coherent system of national vocational qualifications covering every occupation and extending to all levels of employment. Such a system provides a quality framework for identifying and designing relevant training to ensure that the nation's work force has or acquires the skills needed in employment to compete successfully.
A review last year of the council's progress in establishing the new system concluded that a firm foundation had been laid, with national vocational qualifications available now to around one third of the work force in many major industries.
In the light of such progress, the council has been given additional resources and has been set the target of ensuring that, by the end of 1992 national vocational qualifications applicable to 80 per cent. of the work force are available in all the most important occupational areas.
This is a very challenging target, but there is much support for it, particularly among employers who have come together in more than 150 groups to develop national vocational qualifications for occupations in their industries. We are confident that the target can be achieved.