Proposals to scrap GCSEs and A Levels have secured cross-party support at Westminster.

An 18 month review of secondary education secretary conducted by Mike Tomlinson proposes sweeping reform to the 14 to 19 education system.

Under the Tomlinson proposals both GCSEs and A Levels will be phased out over the next 10 years.

Government Response: Department for Education and Skills

Charles Clarke, education secretary said: "I welcome the Working Group's report and commend it wholeheartedly to the House.   I am extremely grateful to Mr Tomlinson and his colleagues for their hard work over the past 21 months.  They have consulted widely and openly and they have now produced a cogently argued, challenging and compelling vision of the future.  Through their regular engagement with the many stakeholders – including, schools, colleges, universities and employers - I believe that they have laid the basis for the development of a broad consensus on the best way forward.  I believe that it is important that this consensus extends across the whole House and so I have encouraged Mr Tomlinson to keep in touch with the main opposition parties and have authorised the Minister of State to give early briefing to their spokespeople."