Clause 3
5:30 pm
Siôn Simon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills; Birmingham, Erdington, Labour)
I am not sure whether I understand what kind of guidance the hon. Gentleman means. It is pretty straightforward that the Bill provides a power for the Secretary of State to issue a regulation giving the certifying authority the ability to make a charge at some point in future. We have no intention to make such a charge at present. Sector skills councils currently charge £30 per apprenticeship certificate and any future charge for duplicates would be at cost and not-for-profit; I unequivocally state that that is the current situation. The Bill allows the Secretary of State a power to make a regulation in future, and I have been quite clear on the circumstances in which such a power could be used. I do not see how we could give any more guidance.