HC Deb 11 April 2000 vol 348 cc133-4W
Mr. Prior

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people who registered for NVQ Level 2 in Care completed and passed the registered course; and what percentage this represented of the number who registered, in the last year for which figures are available; [118635]

(2) how many care assistants have (i) registered for and (ii) completed NVQ Level 2 in Care in (a) nursing homes and (b) residential homes, in the last year for which figures are available; [118637]

(3) what is the average period taken between registration and completion of NVQ Level 2 in Care. [118636]

Mr. Hutton

Information is not available on numbers of care assistants registering for or completing NVQs by type of care provision. Nor are data available on times of completion for individual candidates.

However, data are available showing that during the 12 month period 1 October 1998 to 30 September 1999, 35,742 candidates were registered for an NVQ Level 2 Care award in the United Kingdom. In the same period, 18,135 candidates received their certificates for this award.

We have been advised by the National Training Organisation for Social Care that research undertaken on the completion of NVQs has shown that the average period taken to complete an NVQ Level 2 in Care is 18 months.