Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the value for money achieved by the provision by private companies of examinations and awards of accredited qualifications in England; and if he will make a statement.

There are approximately 127 awarding organisations recognised and regulated by Ofqual, the independent regulator of qualifications, examinations, and assessment in England, who have qualifications approved for public funding. These organisations include registered charities, such as the Prince’s Trust, professional or chartered bodies, such as the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, and both public limited companies, such as Pearson Education, who provide BTEC qualifications and private limited companies, such as Highfield Group, who provide a range of security industry qualifications.

Where these awarding organisations have qualifications approved for funding, the income they generate is via the education and training provider who chooses to deliver their qualifications. Awarding organisations are required by Ofqual to make their fees available annually.

As the awarding organisations are independent organisations, the department does not have access to information which would allow it to currently assess the value for money of the delivery of qualifications by the awarding organisations.