ButterfillTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what reports she has recently received on national vocational qualifications and Scottish vocational qualifications. [8623]
§ Mr. PaiceMy right hon. Friend is pleased to announce the publication today of a report by Gordon Beaumont, commissioned by the Department, on the most used 100 273W national vocational qualifications and Scottish vocational qualifications. I very much welcome this independent report from former industrialist and business man Gordon Beaumont which shows that there is much support for national vocational qualifications and Scottish vocational qualifications and the benefits they can bring to employers in improving performance and flexibility. It also suggests many ways in which delivery and take-up of the qualifications could be improved.
The report on the 100 most used NVQs and SVQs, which was commissioned following the Government's White Paper "Competitiveness: Helping Business To Win" is the culmination of a review headed by Mr. Beaumont which was asked to focus on the breadth of the qualification, the specification and assessment of knowledge and understanding, and on cost-effective assessment more generally. It makes recommendations on all these, and some wider issues.
The Department will welcome comments from the national council for vocational qualifications and the Scottish Vocational Education Council, Scotvec, on all these matters. The Government have written to the chairmen of both organisations asking for their responses to this report by the end of the month. Other interested bodies may send their responses to the address shown in the report. After receiving comments, the Department will draw up an action plan next month on how to implement agreed recommendations.
I should like to thank Mr. Beaumont and all members of the evaluation advisory group, which he chaired, for their dedication, energy and commitment in undertaking this considerable task.
Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.