Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

Before we get into deep discussion about the QCDA, it seems fitting to begin with a debate about the damage caused by the restrictive nature of qualifications in this country. We have tabled Amendments 273A and 273B to draw attention to what we consider to be the misguided policy of the Government. Our Amendment 273A calls for a review of the provision of the international baccalaureate examination. This examination has upheld very high standards of qualification and it provides a rigorous and effective assessment that has held standards at a consistently high level. Our Amendment 273B calls for a review of the provision of IGCSE and Cambridge Pre-U examinations in the state sector. These examinations are increasingly being offered by independent schools rather than the traditional state-run examinations. We have tabled these amendments not just to call attention to the success of these examinations, and certainly not to rerun debates regarding the importance of upholding standards in schools and examinations. It is true that these exams achieve all those things, but we draw attention to them in order to raise two main points. First, we believe that increased choice in examination qualifications will help to drive up standards in schools. The schools which offer these diverse exam choices know that their parents have an option about where they send their children. If the examinations offered are not up to scratch, parents can just take their children elsewhere. In line with the workings of the market, this will have a knock-on effect of ensuring that these examinations will need to uphold their standards in order to maintain their reputation and increase the numbers who select that particular exam. In the light of that virtuous spiral, encouraged by increased choice of examination, can the Minister account for the fact that despite promises to the contrary the funding for IB provision in the state sector has been removed? Secondly, there is a widening gap in our society which is becoming more marked and one that we must attempt to bridge. It is the gap between those who can afford to go to independent schools and so are given the opportunity to take qualifications, and those who remain in the state sector and are given no option at all. I hope that the Minister will acknowledge that disparity and will be able to update the House on the Government's intentions. We believe that it is utterly wrong that those with money should be able to go to schools where a more robust examination system is followed than those without. With that in mind, can the Minister account for the Government's decision not to fund the international baccalaureate examination? Can she also inform us of the status of the funding of the IGCSE? At the moment, without funding, the Government are effectively denying access to that exam for those in the state sector. I am interested in the amendment tabled by my noble friend Lord Lucas, Amendment 263. We agree with the objectives behind the amendment, and I am very glad that he has raised the issue. Nevertheless, I feel that I must reserve some judgment purely because it seems rather inefficient to use one quango to administer another. One might say that if JACQA does not need to be independent, it may be sensible to abolish it altogether to save costs. Similarly, the issues raised by Amendment 274 are useful for the debate. The question is: if the advice of JACQA does not have a bearing on whether qualifications are funded, does that not imply that it should be abolished? It would seem odd to maintain a quango that operates with all the costs that that entails but without any real function or purpose. I will listen very carefully to the Minister.