I note the concerns that the Member has expressed, but I hope it's reassuring to her for me to say they are not actually well founded in the drafting of the Bill, and so I call on Members to reject amendments 114 and 116, simply because they're unnecessary. There is no need to introduce a new, separate legal definition of degree apprenticeships, as they are captured by the existing definitions within the Bill. Also, defining 'degree apprenticeships' separately to 'apprenticeships' risks ambiguity as to whether or not degree apprenticeships are within the scope of the many references to apprenticeships elsewhere in the Bill.

Amendment 86 is also unnecessary, as no further provision needs to be made to ensure that the appropriate quality assessment arrangements are in place for degree apprenticeships in Wales. As I stated at Stage 2, the Bill is clear as to the arrangements for the quality assurance of both further education and higher education, with responsibility for both sitting with the commission. These arrangements already provide sufficient coverage for degree apprenticeships.

Section 54 of the Bill provides for the assessment of quality in higher education, and degree apprenticeships include elements of higher education. This can then allow the delegation to a designated body for higher education quality assessment under section 54 and Schedule 3. This is not dissimilar to the law at present, which is also clear. HEFCW holds a comparable duty at present under the Higher Education (Wales) Act 2015.

I appreciate that there have been considerations within the sector about what role Estyn could and should play in the quality oversight of degree apprenticeships, given their experience inspecting other apprenticeships, and there have been discussions to this effect between relevant stakeholders. The commission will make a final determination on this, and if it is decided that degree apprenticeships should form a part of Estyn's remit, regulations can be made under section 57(1)(f) without any amendment to the current text.

Amendment 97 is also unnecessary. Any arrangement that meets the criteria set out in subsections (2), (3) and (4) of section 102 is already an approved Welsh apprenticeship. I see no need, therefore, to further specify this on the face of this Bill. And so I call on Members to reject these amendments.