Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will set out his Department’s timeframe to respond to the consultation on alternative arrangements for the award of VTQs and other general qualifications in 2021; and what discussions is he having with Ofqual to ensure final plans to assess BTEC and other vocational qualifications this summer are published as soon as possible.

On 15 January 2021, the department, together with Ofqual, launched a joint consultation which sought views on a range of proposals around alternative arrangements for the award of vocational and technical qualifications in summer 2021. The consultation closed on 29 January 2021.

We recognise the need to provide clarity to students and the sector as soon as possible and we are working with Ofqual to publish our decisions by the end of February, once the consultation responses have been analysed. Further information on the consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-alternative-arrangements-for-the-award-of-vtqs-and-other-general-qualifications-in-2021.