§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of checks made on the suitability of staff working for examination verification bodies in further education. [79210]
§ Mr. MudieAwarding bodies are independent organisations responsible for their own recruitment procedures. However, the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA), has responsibility for monitoring activities of the awarding bodies in order to promote public confidence in the quality, rigour, fairness and consistency of standards of qualifications.
As part of its statutory regulatory procedures, QCA will require awarding bodies offering accredited national qualifications to meet specified criteria, including procedures for the appointment, training and monitoring of suitable specialists and assessors.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) has a parallel responsibility.