(2) how much the Government have incurred in developing the proposed new functional mathematics GCSE module involving note and coin recognition.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is piloting new functional mathematics assessments at Entry Level to Level 2 for use both by young people and adults. These are being developed by awarding bodies to the functional skills standards, which have also been reflected in the new national Curriculum programmes of study at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. I shall place copies of the latest version of the functional mathematics standards in the House Library. The standards include financial literacy skills, which are vital to equipping people with the skills they need to operate in life and at work. The functional skills standards at Entry Level 1 include note and coin recognition. Entry Level 1 is of comparable standard to National Curriculum Level 1—the study done during Key Stage 1—and is being designed to be suitable for those needing to develop very basic mathematics skills.