§ Mr. StottTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what plans he has to introduce general national vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland's schools and colleges; what representations he has received concerning GNVQs in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what study his Department has made of the provision of general national vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland's schools and colleges; what reports his Department has commissioned into their provision; if he will make the results of the reports available to both the House and the general public; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. AncramGeneral national vocational qualifications, GNVQs, were introduced into a small number of schools and further education colleges in Northern Ireland in September 1992. The Northern Ireland Department of Education inspectorate carried out a survey of this provision during the 1992–93 academic year, which concluded that a satisfactory start had been made. Indeed, first results indicate that the proportion of Northern Ireland students who achieved a full GNVQ at intermediate level at the end of 1992–93 was significantly higher than the national average. While I have no plans to publish that survey I intend to publish a report on the present, much larger, phase of GNVQs at the end of current academic year.