Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

160

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

29

Schedule  8,  page  176,  line  43,  leave out subsection (3).

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

76

Schedule  8,  page  177,  line  16,  after ‘of’, insert ‘and available for’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

50

Schedule  9,  page  190,  line  22,  leave out ‘Secretary of State’ and insert ‘Crown’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

197

Schedule  9,  page  190,  line  23,  after ‘members”),’ insert ‘one of whom shall be a

member of another regulatory body,’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

51

Schedule  9,  page  190,  line  25,  leave out ‘The Secretary of State may appoint’ and

insert ‘The ordinary members shall elect’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

198

Schedule  9,  page  190,  line  29,  at end insert—

‘(4)	The chair and chief executive of Ofqual shall be full-time positions.’.

Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

161

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

40

Schedule  9,  page  191,  line  14,  at end insert—

‘(2A)

An ordinary member must not have financial or other occupational interests that

might be regarded as constituting a conflict of interest with that of promoting the

objectives of Ofqual.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

52

Schedule  9,  page  191,  line  17,  leave out sub-paragraph (4) and insert—

‘(4)	The ordinary members, by majority vote, may remove the deputy from office

if they think it appropriate to do so.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

53

Schedule  9,  page  191,  line  19,  leave out ‘The Secretary of State’ and insert ‘The

ordinary members, by majority vote,’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

54

Schedule  9,  page  192,  line  2,  leave out ‘the Secretary of State’ and insert ‘Ofqual’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

55

Schedule  9,  page  192,  line  3,  leave out ‘the Secretary of State’ and insert ‘Ofqual’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

57

Schedule  9,  page  192,  line  7,  leave out ‘the Secretary of State’ and insert ‘the

Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families of the House of Commons.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

58

Schedule  9,  page  192,  leave out line 10 and insert ‘Select Committee for Children,

Schools and Families of the House of Commons.’.

Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

162

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

56

Schedule  9,  page  192,  line  24,  leave out subsection (5).

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

59

Schedule  9,  page  192,  leave out lines 28 to 33.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

60

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  18,  at end insert—

‘(f)	the educational standards and performance objective.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

36

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  23,  at end insert—

‘(c)	maintain standards.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

41

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  23,  at end insert—

‘(c)	set out a range of comparators with qualifications in other countries

specified by regulation.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mrs Maria Miller

Mr John Hayes

Bill Wiggin

139

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  26,  after ‘achievement’, insert ‘and knowledge’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

37

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  28,  at end insert—

‘(c)	maintain standards.’.

Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

163

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

42

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  28,  at end insert—

‘(c)	sets out a range of comparators with qualifications in other countries

specified by regulation.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

38

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  28,  at end insert—

‘(3A)

For the purposes of subsections (2)(c) and (3)(c), Ofqual shall publish annually

its methodology for determining whether standards have been maintained over

periods of (a) 20 years, (b) ten years and (c) five years.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

62

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  28,  at end insert— 

‘(c)	allow for an objective assessment of how educational standards have

changed over time.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

63

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  28,  at end insert— 

‘(3A)

In order to deliver the assessments standard, Ofqual shall undertake, within 18

months of its establishment, a full review of changes in assessment standards

since 1988.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

64

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  30,  at end insert ‘and in the independence, objectivity and

credibility of Ofqual.’. 

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

219

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  30,  at end insert ‘over time’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

65

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  30,  at end insert ‘and in pursuit of this objective Ofqual

Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

164

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

shall carry out each year sample testing of cohorts at Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 in English and

Maths on a basis that will facilitate credible evaluation of changes in levels of

achievement in these subjects over time.’. 

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

32

Clause  125,  page  71,  line  37,  after ‘provided’, insert ‘on a timely basis and’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

124

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  after ‘money’, insert ‘and that any increases in sums

payable are not above the rate of inflation.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

61

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  at end add— 

‘(7)	The educational standards and performance objective is to monitor educational

standards and performance as a whole in England, to report on how standards and

performance are changing over time, and to make comparisons between

educational standards and performance in England and in other OECD countries.

(8)	In order to deliver the educational standards objective, Ofqual shall carry out

sample testing on an annual basis in selected subjects, and shall report annually

on changes in educational standards and performance in England and between

England and other OECD countries.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

31

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  at end add—

‘(7)	Ofqual shall conduct annually a poll of a satistically significant sample of

secondary school students to determine the proportion of students who believe

that students work harder than ever to gain specified qualifications.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

39

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  at end insert—

‘(7)	Ofqual shall conduct annually a poll of a satistically significant sample of

secondary school teachers to determine the proportion of teachers who believe

that students work harder than ever to gain specified qualifications.’.

Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

165

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

43

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  at end add—

‘(7)	For the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of Ofqual in carrying out its duties

in subsection (1)(a), (b) and (c), Ofqual shall establish specific and measurable

success criteria for these objectives.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

196

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  at end insert ‘, subject to ensuring the financial

stability of the awarding bodies.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

81

Clause  125,  page  72,  line  2,  at end add—

‘(7)	In delivering its efficiency duty, Ofqual shall publish annually the criteria that

will be used to make judgements about the efficiency of regulated

qualifications.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

66

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  11,  at end insert ‘and maximizes choice for pupils and

learning providers;’. 

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

9

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  26,  at end insert—

‘(i)	the timing of the exam cycle, and the need to allow awarding

bodies sufficient time to develop qualifications.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

220

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  26,  at end insert—

‘(i)	information provided by recognised awarding bodies.’.

Public Bill Committee: 10 March 2009

166

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, continued

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

67

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  32,  leave out from ‘type’ to end of line 34. 

Mr Nick Gibb

Mrs Maria Miller

Mr John Hayes

Bill Wiggin

140

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  40,  at end insert—

‘(d)	persons whom, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, represent the

interests of employers or institutions within the higher education sector.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

68

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  45,  leave out ‘the Secretary of State’ and insert ‘the

Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families’. 

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

6

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  46,  at end insert ‘and establish specific and measurable

success criteria for each of its objectives.’.

Mr Nick Gibb

Mr John Hayes

Mrs Maria Miller

Bill Wiggin

200

Clause  126,  page  72,  line  46,  at end insert ‘and in a timely manner.’.

Mr David Laws

Stephen Williams

Annette Brooke

221

Clause  129,  page  75,  line  3,  at end insert ‘and must establish, at the request of the

applicant, arrangements for the review of that decision.’.

---

Revised 10 March 2009