§ Lord Pilkington of Oxenfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why, in commissioning Sir Ron Dearing's report on education for 16 to 19 year-olds, they failed to ask him to consider the Continental practice of having separate institutions and distinct examinations for academic and vocational courses, and advise whether 139WA this pattern might be applicable to England and Wales.
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Lord Henley)Sir Ron Dearing was given a broad remit in order to allow him to carry out his review as he saw fit. During his review Sir Ron did in fact consider education and training structures in several OECD countries. The results were published in July 1995 in his interim report. Copies are available in the House of Lords Library.
Sir Ron's final report was published on 27th March 1996. It made clear that it is widely considered to be a strength of the qualifications framework in this country that it "makes it possible to combine elements from more than one qualifications pathway". Sir Ron's proposals, which have been welcomed by the Government, would strengthen that aspect of the framework further.