Decision details

Dadl Cyfnod 3 ar Fil Cymwysterau Cymru - Gohiriwyd i 16 Mehefin 2015

Decision Maker: Plenary - Fourth Assembly, Children, Young People and Education Committee - Fourth Assembly

Status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

A Government Bill, introduced by Huw Lewis, Minister for Education and Skills. The Business Committee remitted the Bill to the Children, Young People and Education Committee.

 

About the Bill

 

The Qualifications Wales Bill (‘the Bill’) provides for the establishment of Qualifications Wales as the independent regulatory body responsible for the recognition of awarding bodies and the review and approval of non-degree qualifications in Wales.

 

The Bill is intended to address the four main limitations of the current system, which are outlined as:

  • there is no single organisation that is dedicated to ensuring the effectiveness of qualifications and the qualification system;
  • there are no powers to prioritise qualifications and to thereby focus regulatory activity where it is most needed;
  • there are no powers to select a single provider of a given qualification to ensure that learners across Wales take the same qualification; and
  • the capacity to drive forward the strategic development of qualifications within the current arrangements is too limited.

 

The Bill provides Qualifications Wales with the following principal aims, and it must act compatibly with these when exercising its functions:

 

  • Ensuring that qualifications, and the Welsh qualification system, are effective for meeting the reasonable needs of learners in Wales; and
  • Promoting public confidence in qualifications and in the Welsh qualification system.

 

The following article provides a simple guide to the provisions and background of the Bill.

 

Welsh Glossary (PDF, 150KB) (Only available in Welsh)

 

Current Stage

 

The Qualifications Wales Act 2015 became law in Wales on 5 August 2015

 

Record of Passage in the National Assembly for Wales

 

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the National Assembly for Wales.

 

Stage

Documents

Bill introduced: 1 December 2014

Qualifications Wales Bill, as introduced (PDF, 270KB)

 

Explanatory Memorandum (PDF, 1.13MB)

 

Presiding Officer’s Statement: 1 December 2014 (PDF, 126KB)

 

Business Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill: 1 December 2014 (PDF, 46.3KB)

 

Policy Intent Statement (PDF, 95.8KB)

 

Stage 1: Committee considerations of general principles

 

Consultation

 

The Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

11 December 2014
14 January 2015
22 January 2015
28 January 2015
5 February 2015

 

Committee Stage 1 Report (PDF, 457KB)

 

Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee Report (PDF, 347KB)

Stage 1: Debate in Plenary on general principles

A debate took place in Plenary on 24 March 2015. The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed.

Financial Resolution

A Financial Resolution in relation to the Qualifications Wales Bill was agreed in Plenary on 24 March 2015.

Stage 2: Committee consideration of amendments

Notices of Amendments

 

Notice of Amendments: 25 March 2015 (PDF, 61.4KB)

Welsh Government - Purpose and  Effect Table: 25 March 2015 (PDF, 153KB)

Notice of Amendments: 21 April 2015 (PDF, 144KB)

Welsh Government – Purpose and Effect Table: 21 April 2015 (PDF, 510KB)

Notice of Amendments: 22 April 2015 (PDF, 62.9KB)

Notice of Amendments: 23 April 2015 (PDF, 71.4KB)

Marshalled List of Amendments: 30 April 2015 (PDF, 168KB)

Groupings of Amendments:  30 April 2015 (PDF, 60.7KB)

Qualifications Wales Bill - as amended at Stage 2 (PDF, 303KB)

Revised Explanatory Memorandum (PDF, 1.12MB)

Research Service: Summary of changes at Stage 2 (PDF, 232KB)

 

Stage 3: Plenary consideration of amendments

Stage 3 consideration has been rescheduled and will now take place on Tuesday 16 June 2015 (originally scheduled for 9 June).

 

Notices of Amendments

 

Notice of Amendments: 29 May 2015 (PDF, 83.1KB)

Welsh Government – Purpose and Effect Table: 29 May 2015 (PDF, 114KB)

Notice of Amendments: 1 June 2015 (PDF, 54.4KB)

Notice of Amendments: 2 June 2015 (PDF, 60.6KB)

Marshalled List of Amendments: 16 June 2015 (PDF, 94KB)

Groupings of Amendments: 16 June 2015 (PDF, 60.9KB)

 

Qualifications Wales Bill - as amended at Stage 3 (PDF, 309KB)

 

Stage 4: Passing of the Bill in Plenary

The Bill was agreed by the Assembly in accordance with SO 12.36 on 16 June 2015.

 

Qualifications Wales Bill – as Passed (PDF, 248KB)

 

Qualifications Wales Bill, as passed (Crown XML)

Post-stage 4

The four week period of intimation has ended.  Letters patent for the Bill have been submitted to Her Majesty The Queen for Royal Assent.

 

The Attorney General (PDF, 402KB) and the Secretary of State for Wales (PDF, 30.8KB) wrote to the Chief Executive and Clerk of the Assembly to advise that he would not be referring the Qualifications Wales Bill to the Supreme Court under Sections 112 or 114 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.


Royal Assent


Royal Assent (PDF, 167KB) was given on 5 August 2015

 

Contact information

 

This bill has been remitted to the Children, Young People and Education Committee

 

Clerk: Gareth Rogers

Phone: 0300 200 6565

Email: Contact@assembly.wales

Decision:

Dechreuodd yr eitem am 16.38

Publication date: 09/06/2015

Date of decision: 09/06/2015

Decided at meeting: 09/06/2015 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly