Education and Training (Teenagers) (Hansard, 9 December 1996)

I have today published a White Paper, "Learning to Compete: education and training for 14–19 year olds" (SO Cm 3486).

"Learning to Compete" builds on the Government's achievements over the past decade in increasing choice, participation and attainment by young people in education and training in England. It sets out the Government's 6W vision for first-class education and training for the next century, based on the entitlement of all young people to learning, on the need for employability, and on the value of effective partnerships at national, regional and local level. It is designed to renew our drive towards the national targets for education and training, helping young people to play their part in a successful society, and Britain to strengthen its international competitiveness.

The White Paper draws on extensive and invaluable consultations over the past year, in particular on the conclusions of Sir Ron Dearing's review of 16 to 19 qualifications. It proposes a wide-ranging programme of action for the Government and their key partners to improve young people's learning further, and to ensure their successful transition to employment and further learning throughout life. In particular, the White Paper: introduces from September 1997 a new learning credits entitlement for all young people aged 14 to 21 to career planning and learning opportunities up to level 3. This will improve young people's participation and attainment and encourage them to value their learning more. The Government have also published today a consultation document, "A Passport to Learning", on the detailed implementation of learning credits; enhances the breadth and rigour of the qualifications framework at key stage 4 and beyond, in particular by making part I GNVQs available from September 1998 to all schools who wish to provide them, strengthening GCE A-levels, GNVQs and NVQs, and promoting key skills throughout education and training; acts to make education for 14 to 19-year-olds more relevant to the world of work, by supporting innovative approaches to vocational study by 14 to 16-year-olds, introducing a new national record of achievement and encouraging more effective use of labour market information in making choices at 16; introduces a relaunch strategy—a new start for young people—to bring disaffected 14 to 19 year-olds back into learning with partnership projects at local level; introduces from September 1997 national traineeships to help 16 to 19-year-olds reach NVQ level 2 and acquire key skills with employers, taking forward the successful approach of modern apprenticeships; develops common principles to underpin the effective internal and external quality assurance of all 16 to 19 learning, including the introduction of an external inspection regime for work-based training providers and more consistent measures of performance; takes forward the application of common principles to the funding of learning in schools, colleges and work-based training, supporting good recruitment practice and effective teaching and training and rewarding successful achievement, in order to enhance choice, cost-effectiveness and fair competition; and introduces new funding arrangements from 1997–88 for training for young people, which are consistent with these principles and designed to reduce bureaucracy for training and enterprise councils and their providers.

This programme of action demonstrates the enhanced capacity of my Department to make coherent policy in this key area. It will be supported by the expenditure plans for my Department set out in the Budget. The Government will work closely with their key partners and with providers to take it forward successfully.

Copies of the White Paper and the learning credits consultation document have been placed in the Library.