Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill — Independence of Qfqual — 11 Nov 2009 at 19:30

The majority of MPs voted for greater freedom for Qfqual, the qualifications regulator, to act independently from ministers.

Government minister, Iain Wright, explained that the proposed opposition amendment (a)[1], which was rejected, would allow ministers to alter the standards of qualifications through specifying minimum requirements. He said the government wanted to see Ofqual directly accountable to Parliament for maintaining qualifications standards and for ministers not being allowed to "meddle".[2]

The vote was about the wording of a proposed new clause to be added to the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill. The clause[3], with the alternative words being voted on shown in square brackets, is reproduced below:

  • "Effect of determination of minimum requirements
  • 1. This section applies in relation to a qualification or description of qualification in respect of which minimum requirements specified in an order under section (Power to determine minimum requirements)(1) have effect.
  • 2. Ofqual must perform its functions under sections 130, 131 and 137 in relation to the qualification or description of qualification in a way which secures that the minimum requirements in respect of the qualification or description of qualification are met.
  • 3. But Ofqual is not required to comply with the duty imposed by subsection (2) if it appears to Ofqual that complying with that duty would result in the level of attainment (in terms of depth of knowledge, skills or understanding) indicated by the qualification or description of qualification [ not being consistent with | being lower than ] that indicated by comparable regulated qualifications.”

The majority of MPs decided to use the "not being consistent with" wording; which gives Ofqual more freedom not to act on a "minimum requirement order" (an instrument to be set down by ministers and subject to an affirmative resolution in both Houses).

The new clause reproduces part of clause 138. The role of ministers in setting qualification standards was debated intensely when Clause 138 was debated intensely in committee.[4]

The House divided: Ayes 131, Noes 272.

Debate in Parliament | Source |

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All Votes Cast - sorted by constituency

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

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NameConstituencyPartyVote
Hywel FrancisAberavonLab (minister)no
Frank DoranAberdeen NorthLab (minister)no
Anne BeggAberdeen SouthLab (minister)no
John ReidAirdrie and ShottsLabno
Mark TamiAlyn and DeesideLab (minister)no
Judy MallaberAmber ValleyLab (minister)no
Alan ReidArgyll and ButeLDem (front bench)aye
Geoff HoonAshfieldLabno
David HeyesAshton-under-LyneLab (minister)no
David LidingtonAylesburyCon (front bench)aye
Margaret HodgeBarkingLab (minister)no
Eric IllsleyBarnsley CentralLab (minister)no
Jeff EnnisBarnsley East and MexboroughLabno
Michael ClaphamBarnsley West and PenistoneLab (minister)no
Angela SmithBasildonLab (minister)no
Maria MillerBasingstokeCon (front bench)aye
John MannBassetlawLab (minister)no
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)aye
Mike WoodBatley and SpenLabno
Martin LintonBatterseaLabno
Patrick HallBedfordLab (minister)no
Alasdair McDonnellBelfast SouthSDLP (front bench)no
Graham StuartBeverley and HoldernessCon (front bench)aye
David EvennettBexleyheath and CrayfordCon (front bench)aye
Gisela StuartBirmingham, EdgbastonLab (minister)no
Siôn SimonBirmingham, ErdingtonLab (minister)no
Steve McCabeBirmingham, Hall GreenLab (minister)no
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLab (minister)no
John HemmingBirmingham, YardleyLDem (front bench)aye
Helen GoodmanBishop AucklandLab (minister)no
Andrew RobathanBlabyCon (front bench)aye
Jack StrawBlackburnLab (minister)no
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLab (minister)no
Dai DaviesBlaenau GwentIndependentaye
David AndersonBlaydonLab (minister)no
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLabno
Nick GibbBognor Regis and LittlehamptonCon (front bench)aye
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLab (minister)no
David CrausbyBolton North EastLab (minister)no
Brian IddonBolton South EastLab (minister)no
Joe BentonBootleLab (minister)no
Mark SimmondsBoston and SkegnessCon (front bench)aye
John ButterfillBournemouth WestCon (front bench)aye
Terry RooneyBradford NorthLab (minister)no
Brooks NewmarkBraintreeCon (front bench)aye
Roger WilliamsBrecon and RadnorshireLDem (front bench)aye
Barry GardinerBrent NorthLabno
Dawn ButlerBrent SouthLab (minister)no
Ann KeenBrentford and IsleworthLab (minister)no
Madeleine MoonBridgendLab (minister)no
Ian CawseyBrigg and GooleLab (minister)no
Desmond TurnerBrighton, KemptownLab (minister)no
David LepperBrighton, PavilionLab (minister)no
Kerry McCarthyBristol EastLab (minister)no
Dawn PrimaroloBristol SouthLab (minister)no
Stephen WilliamsBristol WestLDem (front bench)aye
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLab (minister)no
Kitty UssherBurnleyLabno
Janet DeanBurtonLab (minister)no
David ChaytorBury NorthLab (minister)no
Wayne DavidCaerphillyLab (minister)no
Harriet HarmanCamberwell and PeckhamLab (minister)no
Tony WrightCannock ChaseLab (minister)no
Julian BrazierCanterburyCon (front bench)aye
Jennifer WillottCardiff CentralLDem (front bench)aye
Julie MorganCardiff NorthLab (minister)no
Alun MichaelCardiff South and PenarthLab (minister)no
Kevin BrennanCardiff WestLab (minister)no
Eric MartlewCarlisleLab (minister)no
Adam PriceCarmarthen East and DinefwrPC (front bench)aye
Nick AingerCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireLab (minister)no
Bob SpinkCastle Pointwhilst Independent (front bench)aye
Mark WilliamsCeredigionLDem (front bench)aye
Stephen DorrellCharnwoodCon (front bench)aye
Jonathan R ShawChatham and AylesfordLab (minister)no
Dame Cheryl GillanChesham and AmershamCon (front bench)aye
Paul HolmesChesterfieldLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew TyrieChichesterCon (front bench)aye
Theresa VilliersChipping BarnetCon (front bench)aye
Lindsay HoyleChorleyLab (minister)no
Christine RussellCity of ChesterLab (minister)no
Roberta Blackman-WoodsCity of DurhamLab (minister)no
Hugh BayleyCity of YorkLab (minister)no
Shona McIsaacCleethorpesLab (minister)no
Martyn JonesClwyd SouthLab (minister)no
David JonesClwyd WestCon (front bench)aye
Bob RussellColchesterLDem (front bench)aye
Ann WintertonCongletonCon (front bench)aye
Jamie ReedCopelandLab (minister)no
Phil HopeCorbyLab (minister)no
Geoffrey Clifton-BrownCotswoldCon (front bench)aye
Geoffrey RobinsonCoventry North WestLabno
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLabno
Laura MoffattCrawleyLabno
Malcolm WicksCroydon NorthLabno
Richard OttawayCroydon SouthCon (front bench)aye
Rosemary McKennaCumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch EastLab (minister)no
Jon CruddasDagenhamLabno
Alan MilburnDarlingtonLabno
Howard StoateDartfordLab (minister)no
Tim BoswellDaventryCon (front bench)aye
David HansonDelynLab (minister)no
Andrew GwynneDenton and ReddishLab (minister)no
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLab (minister)no
Margaret BeckettDerby SouthLabno
Shahid MalikDewsburyLab (minister)no
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLabno
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLab (minister)no
Ed MilibandDoncaster NorthLab (minister)no
Gwyn ProsserDoverLab (minister)no
Ian AustinDudley NorthLab (minister)no
Ian PearsonDudley SouthLab (minister)no
Tessa JowellDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)no
Willie RennieDunfermline and West FifeLDem (front bench)aye
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)no
Andrew SlaughterEaling, Acton and Shepherd's BushLab (minister)no
Virendra SharmaEaling, SouthallLab (minister)no
John CummingsEasingtonLab (minister)no
Sammy WilsonEast AntrimDUP (front bench)aye
Jo SwinsonEast DunbartonshireLDem (front bench)aye
Stephen TimmsEast HamLab (minister)no
Gregory CampbellEast LondonderryDUP (front bench)aye
Peter AinsworthEast SurreyCon (front bench)aye
Greg KnightEast YorkshireCon (front bench)aye
Nigel WatersonEastbourneCon (front bench)aye
Stephen O'BrienEddisburyCon (front bench)aye
Nigel GriffithsEdinburgh SouthLab (minister)no
Andrew LoveEdmontonLab (minister)no
Andrew MillerEllesmere Port and NestonLab (minister)no
Colin BurgonElmetLabno
Clive EffordElthamLabno
Joan RyanEnfield NorthLabno
Eleanor LaingEpping ForestCon (front bench)aye
Liz BlackmanErewashLab (minister)no
John AustinErith and ThamesmeadLab (minister)no
Ben BradshawExeterLab (minister)no
Hugh RobertsonFaversham and Mid KentCon (front bench)aye
Alan KeenFeltham and HestonLab (minister)no
Rudi VisFinchley and Golders GreenLabno
Mark HarperForest of DeanCon (front bench)aye
Michael JackFyldeCon (front bench)aye
Edward LeighGainsboroughCon (front bench)aye
Vernon CoakerGedlingLab (minister)no
Paul ClarkGillinghamLab (minister)no
Parmjit DhandaGloucesterLabno
Martin CatonGowerLab (minister)no
Quentin DaviesGrantham and Stamfordwhilst Lab (front bench)no
Adam HollowayGraveshamCon (front bench)aye
Austin MitchellGreat GrimsbyLab (minister)no
Nick RaynsfordGreenwich and WoolwichLabno
Anne MiltonGuildfordCon (front bench)aye
Diane AbbottHackney North and Stoke NewingtonLabno
Linda RiordanHalifaxLab (minister)no
Derek TwiggHaltonLab (minister)no
Greg HandsHammersmith and FulhamCon (front bench)aye
Glenda JacksonHampstead and HighgateLabno
Edward GarnierHarboroughCon (front bench)aye
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)aye
Tony McNultyHarrow EastLabno
Gareth ThomasHarrow WestLab (minister)no
Iain WrightHartlepoolLab (minister)no
Michael Jabez FosterHastings and RyeLab (minister)no
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDem (front bench)aye
Jon TrickettHemsworthLabno
Andrew DismoreHendonLab (minister)no
John HowellHenleyCon (front bench)aye
Paul KeetchHerefordLDem (front bench)aye
Mark PriskHertford and StortfordCon (front bench)aye
James ClappisonHertsmereCon (front bench)aye
Peter AtkinsonHexhamCon (front bench)aye
Jim DobbinHeywood and MiddletonLab (minister)no
Tom LevittHigh PeakLab (minister)no
Peter LilleyHitchin and HarpendenConaye
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLabno
James BrokenshireHornchurchCon (front bench)aye
Fraser KempHoughton and Washington EastLabno
Jonathan DjanoglyHuntingdonCon (front bench)aye
Greg PopeHyndburnLab (minister)no
Lee ScottIlford NorthCon (front bench)aye
Mike GapesIlford SouthLab (minister)no
Chris MoleIpswichLab (minister)no
Andrew TurnerIsle of WightCon (front bench)aye
Emily ThornberryIslington South and FinsburyLabno
Don TouhigIslwynLab (minister)no
Stephen HepburnJarrowLab (minister)no
Ann CryerKeighleyLab (minister)no
Philip HolloboneKetteringCon (front bench)aye
John PrescottKingston upon Hull EastLabno
Diana R. JohnsonKingston upon Hull NorthLab (minister)no
Alan JohnsonKingston upon Hull West and HessleLab (minister)no
Roger BerryKingswoodLab (minister)no
George HowarthKnowsley North and Sefton EastLab (minister)no
Edward O'HaraKnowsley SouthLab (minister)no
Jeffrey M. DonaldsonLagan ValleyDUP (front bench)aye
Hilary BennLeeds CentralLab (minister)no
George MudieLeeds EastLab (minister)no
Fabian HamiltonLeeds North EastLab (minister)no
John BattleLeeds WestLab (minister)no
Peter SoulsbyLeicester SouthLab (minister)no
Patricia HewittLeicester WestLab (minister)no
Andy BurnhamLeighLab (minister)no
Bill WigginLeominsterCon (front bench)tellaye
Bridget PrenticeLewisham EastLab (minister)no
Joan RuddockLewisham, DeptfordLab (minister)no
Harry CohenLeyton and WansteadLab (minister)no
Michael FabricantLichfieldCon (front bench)aye
Gillian MerronLincolnLab (minister)no
Michael ConnartyLinlithgow and East FalkirkLab (minister)no
Maria EagleLiverpool, GarstonLab (minister)no
Louise EllmanLiverpool, RiversideLab (minister)no
Nia GriffithLlanelliLab (minister)no
Andy ReedLoughboroughLab (minister)no
Peter TapsellLouth and HorncastleConaye
Philip DunneLudlowCon (front bench)aye
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLab (minister)no
Nicholas WintertonMacclesfieldCon (front bench)aye
John WhittingdaleMaldon and East ChelmsfordCon (front bench)aye
Tony LloydManchester CentralLab (minister)no
Graham StringerManchester, BlackleyLab (minister)no
Gerald KaufmanManchester, GortonLab (minister)no
John LeechManchester, WithingtonLDem (front bench)aye
Alan MealeMansfieldLabno
Dai HavardMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLab (minister)no
Annette BrookeMid Dorset and North PooleLDem (front bench)aye
Keith SimpsonMid NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
Stuart BellMiddlesbroughLab (minister)no
Ashok KumarMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLabno
David HamiltonMidlothianLab (minister)no
Phyllis StarkeyMilton Keynes South WestLab (minister)no
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLabno
David DaviesMonmouthCon (front bench)aye
Geraldine SmithMorecambe and LunesdaleLab (minister)no
Colin ChallenMorley and RothwellLab (minister)no
Peter HainNeathLab (minister)no
Patrick MercerNewarkCon (front bench)aye
Richard BenyonNewburyCon (front bench)aye
Jim CousinsNewcastle upon Tyne CentralLab (minister)no
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne East and WallsendLab (minister)no
Paul FarrellyNewcastle-under-LymeLab (minister)no
Jessica MordenNewport EastLab (minister)no
Paul FlynnNewport WestLab (minister)no
Edward BallsNormantonLab (minister)no
Katy ClarkNorth Ayrshire and ArranLab (minister)no
Nick HarveyNorth DevonLDem (front bench)aye
Robert WalterNorth DorsetConaye
Kevan JonesNorth DurhamLab (minister)no
Alistair BurtNorth East BedfordshireCon (front bench)aye
Malcolm MossNorth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
Natascha EngelNorth East DerbyshireLab (minister)no
James ArbuthnotNorth East HampshireCon (front bench)aye
Bernard JenkinNorth EssexCon (front bench)aye
Norman LambNorth NorfolkLDem (front bench)aye
Simon HughesNorth Southwark and BermondseyLDem (front bench)aye
Michael WillsNorth SwindonLab (minister)no
Roger GaleNorth ThanetCon (front bench)aye
Stephen ByersNorth TynesideLabno
Mike O'BrienNorth WarwickshireLab (minister)no
Shailesh VaraNorth West CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
Hilary ArmstrongNorth West DurhamLabno
David TaylorNorth West LeicestershireLab (minister)no
Henry BellinghamNorth West NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
James GrayNorth WiltshireCon (front bench)aye
Sally KeebleNorthampton NorthLab (minister)no
Charles ClarkeNorwich SouthLab (minister)no
John HeppellNottingham EastLab (minister)no
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLab (minister)no
Alan SimpsonNottingham SouthLabno
Bill OlnerNuneatonLab (minister)no
Gordon BanksOchil and South PerthshireLab (minister)no
Huw Irranca-DaviesOgmoreLab (minister)no
Phil WoolasOldham East and SaddleworthLab (minister)no
Michael MeacherOldham West and RoytonLabno
Andrew SmithOxford EastLabno
Gordon PrenticePendleLab (minister)no
Stewart JacksonPeterboroughCon (front bench)aye
Alison SeabeckPlymouth, DevonportLab (minister)no
Linda GilroyPlymouth, SuttonLab (minister)no
Yvette CooperPontefract and CastlefordLab (minister)no
Kim HowellsPontypriddLabno
Robert SymsPooleCon (front bench)aye
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and Canning TownLab (minister)no
Sarah McCarthy-FryPortsmouth NorthLab (minister)no
Mark HendrickPrestonLab (minister)no
Paul TruswellPudseyLabno
Justine GreeningPutneyCon (front bench)aye
Mark FrancoisRayleighCon (front bench)aye
Rob WilsonReading EastCon (front bench)aye
Vera BairdRedcarLab (minister)no
Jacqui SmithRedditchLabno
Chris BryantRhonddaLab (minister)no
William HagueRichmond (Yorks)Con (front bench)aye
Andrew RosindellRomfordCon (front bench)aye
Charles KennedyRoss, Skye and LochaberLDemaye
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)no
Denis MacShaneRotherhamLabno
Jeremy WrightRugby and KenilworthCon (front bench)aye
Nick HurdRuislip - NorthwoodCon (front bench)aye
Thomas McAvoyRutherglen and Hamilton WestLab (minister)no
Alan DuncanRutland and MeltonCon (front bench)aye
John GreenwayRyedaleConaye
Hazel BlearsSalfordLab (minister)no
Robert KeySalisburyCon (front bench)aye
Robert GoodwillScarborough and WhitbyCon (front bench)aye
Elliot MorleyScunthorpeLab (minister)no
Phil WilsonSedgefieldLab (minister)no
John GroganSelbyLab (minister)no
Michael FallonSevenoaksCon (front bench)aye
Richard CabornSheffield CentralLabno
Meg MunnSheffield, HeeleyLabno
Angela SmithSheffield, HillsboroughLab (minister)no
Paddy TippingSherwoodLab (minister)no
Daniel KawczynskiShrewsbury and AtchamCon (front bench)aye
Derek WyattSittingbourne and SheppeyLab (minister)no
Fiona MactaggartSloughLab (minister)no
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)aye
William McCreaSouth AntrimDUP (front bench)aye
Mark ToddSouth DerbyshireLab (minister)no
Jim KnightSouth DorsetLab (minister)no
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon (front bench)aye
Tim YeoSouth SuffolkCon (front bench)aye
Anne SnelgroveSouth SwindonLabno
Stephen LadymanSouth ThanetLabno
Andrew SelousSouth West BedfordshireCon (front bench)aye
Gary StreeterSouth West DevonCon (front bench)aye
Christopher FraserSouth West NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
John DenhamSouthampton, ItchenLab (minister)no
Alan WhiteheadSouthampton, TestLab (minister)no
Sir David AmessSouthend WestCon (front bench)aye
David WilshireSpelthorneCon (front bench)aye
Anne MainSt AlbansCon (front bench)aye
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)tellno
Shaun WoodwardSt Helens SouthLab (minister)no
David KidneyStaffordLab (minister)no
Charlotte AtkinsStaffordshire MoorlandsLab (minister)no
Barbara FollettStevenageLab (minister)no
Ann CoffeyStockportLab (minister)no
Dari TaylorStockton SouthLab (minister)no
Mark FisherStoke-on-Trent CentralLabno
Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent NorthLab (minister)no
Rob FlelloStoke-on-Trent SouthLabno
Lynda WalthoStourbridgeLab (minister)no
Keith HillStreathamLab (minister)no
David DrewStroudLab (minister)no
Chris MullinSunderland SouthLab (minister)no
Siân JamesSwansea EastLab (minister)no
Alan WilliamsSwansea WestLab (minister)no
Brian JenkinsTamworthLab (minister)no
David WrightTelfordLab (minister)no
Mark PritchardThe WrekinCon (front bench)aye
Andrew MacKinlayThurrockLab (minister)no
Angela BrowningTiverton and HonitonCon (front bench)aye
John StanleyTonbridge and MallingCon (front bench)aye
Sadiq KhanTootingLab (minister)no
Paul MurphyTorfaenLabno
Geoffrey CoxTorridge and West DevonCon (front bench)aye
Anthony SteenTotnesCon (front bench)aye
David LammyTottenhamLab (minister)no
Greg ClarkTunbridge WellsCon (front bench)aye
David ClellandTyne BridgeLab (minister)no
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)no
John RandallUxbridgeCon (front bench)aye
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLabno
John SmithVale of GlamorganLab (minister)no
Anne McIntoshVale of YorkCon (front bench)aye
Mary CreaghWakefieldLab (minister)no
Angela EagleWallaseyLab (minister)no
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)no
Bruce GeorgeWalsall SouthLabno
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLab (minister)no
Denis MurphyWansbeckLab (minister)no
Dan NorrisWansdykeLab (minister)no
John SpellarWarleyLab (minister)no
Helen JonesWarrington NorthLab (minister)tellaye
James PlaskittWarwick and LeamingtonLab (minister)no
Claire WardWatfordLab (minister)no
Bob BlizzardWaveneyLab (minister)no
Mike HallWeaver ValeLab (minister)no
Peter BoneWellingboroughCon (front bench)aye
David Heathcoat-AmoryWellsCon (front bench)aye
John HealeyWentworthLab (minister)no
Tom WatsonWest Bromwich EastLab (minister)no
Simon BurnsWest ChelmsfordCon (front bench)aye
Patrick McLoughlinWest DerbyshireCon (front bench)aye
John McFallWest DunbartonshireLab (minister)no
Lyn BrownWest HamLab (minister)no
Rosie CooperWest LancashireLab (minister)no
Richard SpringWest SuffolkCon (front bench)aye
Michael SpicerWest WorcestershireCon (front bench)aye
Andrew MurrisonWestburyCon (front bench)aye
John PenroseWeston-Super-MareCon (front bench)aye
Neil TurnerWiganLab (minister)no
Ben ChapmanWirral SouthLab (minister)no
Stephen HesfordWirral WestLab (minister)no
John RedwoodWokinghamConaye
Ken PurchaseWolverhampton North EastLab (minister)no
Pat McFaddenWolverhampton South EastLab (minister)no
Rob MarrisWolverhampton South WestLabno
Michael FosterWorcesterLab (minister)no
Tony CunninghamWorkingtonLab (minister)no
Barbara KeeleyWorsleyLab (minister)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)aye
Ian LucasWrexhamLab (minister)no
Richard TaylorWyre ForestIndependent (front bench)aye
Paul GogginsWythenshawe and Sale EastLab (minister)no
David LawsYeovilLDem (front bench)aye
Albert OwenYnys MônLab (minister)no

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