Decision details
Dadl Cyfnod 4 ar Fil Cymwysterau Cymru
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 |
The Committee considered the Bill on the following dates: 11 December 2014 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. |
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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:
The item started at 17.04
Stage 4 Standing Order 26.48
motion to approve the Qualifications Wales Bill.
The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Publication date: 16/06/2015
Date of decision: 16/06/2015
Decided at meeting: 16/06/2015 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly