On 12 February 2021, Gillian Keegan, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education, answered a written question on video games qualifications.
The question, asked by Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis, inquired as to what assessment the Department for Education has made of the potential effect of removing funding for Applied General Qualifications on the number of people studying for degrees in gaming.
Gullis further inquired what assessment the department had made of the potential effect of removing funding for Applied General Qualifications on the UK video games industry.
Gillian Keegan’s response stated that the Government’s recent impact assessment did not look specifically at the video games industry or student progression to video games degrees.
Keegan stated that the Department for Education is currently reviewing responses to its consultation on reforming post-16 qualifications at level 3 and will publish a final impact assessment as part of the response to the consultation.
Keegan’s full answer can be read below:
Video Games: Qualifications
Department for Education
12 February 2021
Jonathan Gullis (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of removing funding for Applied General Qualifications on the number of people studying for degrees in gaming.
Jonathan Gullis (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of removing funding for Applied General Qualifications on the UK video games industry.
Gillian Keegan (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State): The department has consulted widely on proposals for reforming post-16 qualifications at level 3. The second stage of consultation ran from 23 October 2020 to 31 January 2021, and asked for views on the range of qualifications that will sit alongside A levels and T Levels in future. These include qualifications designed to support progression to higher education. No decisions have been made about individual subjects or the potential removal of funding for existing qualifications.
The impact assessment published alongside the consultation looked at the potential impact of the review on employers and the economy, but it did not look specifically at the games industry or student progression to games degrees. We are analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a final impact assessment as part of the response to the consultation.