Does anyone know if anyone has ever suggested or developed a set of NVQ competencies for Members of Parliament? I would think it would be a fantastic way of helping new members develop their know how of procedures and systems and also act as a indicator to the general public that they have at least attained a minimum standard of ability and competence.

If governments have such strong commitments to targets regarding percentages of the population achieving NVQs would it not be unreasonable to expect that they lead by example? The Rt Hon John Prescott MP, Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State converted his vehicles to running on propane gas as part of his contribution to the transport problems he was charged with dealing with. There may be reasons why this has never been done or considered but I can’t think what they are? I suspect that NVQs for both ministers, members of parliament, political advisers and researchers would be fairly straightforward to develop. Might not we, as representatives of the Training and Development community call upon The Rt Hon David Blunkett MP Secretary of State for the Home Department to look into this issue? Or is the idea of extremely busy and important people like MPs undertaking NVQs too ridiculous and I'm completely off my trolley?

Garry Platt