HC Deb 14 January 2003 vol 397 cc559-60W
Mr. Mark Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his Department is doing to support the Government's policy on accreditation. [88091]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is recognised by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, as the sole national body for the accreditation, against international standards, of certification and inspection bodies, testing and calibration laboratories. The Department for Education and Skills will use UKAS accreditation services whenever it is appropriate to do so. For example, we are exploring with the Guidance Accreditation Board, which is sponsored by the Department, the appropriateness of the UKAS accreditation process to its work.