Daily roundup: Exam reforms, abortion inquiry, and a ‘catch-up premium' for pupils

Government has failed to prove the case that GCSEs should be abolished, an influential group of MPs has said. The education select committee said introducing several fundamental changes at the same time, to a tight timetable will jeopardise the quality of the reforms and could “threaten” the stability of the wider exam system. Graham Stuart, chair of the committee, said: “Ministers want to introduce a new qualification, require a step-change in standards, and alter the way exams are administered, all at the same time. We believe this is trying to do too much, too quickly and we call on the government to balance the pace of reform with the need to get it right.”

An inquiry on abortion is to be held by MPs and peers. The Telegraph reports that a cross-party commission will investigate whether too many disabled babies are being terminated under current system. Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, who will chair the inquiry, said it will look at whether a review of legislation is necessary in light of medical advances and “advances in our attitudes to disability over recent years”. Currently an abortion can take place as late as necessary if tests indicate that the child may be disabled when born – there is a legal limit of 24 weeks for abortions on other grounds.

Around 110,000 schoolchildren who have failed to reach expected levels of literacy and maths by the end of primary school are to receive extra help as part of a £54m government drive. A catch-up premium of £500 will pay for them to receive additional help through individual tuition or intensive support in small groups. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “The consequences for a pupil being left behind in the basics when they start secondary school can last for the rest of their education. The catch-up premium money being handed out to schools today will help pupils catch up with their peers as quickly as possible.”

Factors such as parental addiction should be taken into account when considering a new definition of child poverty, Welfare Secretary Iain Duncan Smith will suggest. The BBC reports that Duncan Smith will use a speech in London today to point to research on public views of child poverty, which says factors other than income are important. He is expected to call for more “direct, intuitive thinking” about what factors hold children back and embed social and financial disadvantage. Meanwhile, the Daily Record reports that the Scottish government estimates that 15,000 more Scottish children will be plunged into poverty as a result of Westminster cuts.

Low-income families are to be by a drive to increase council tax revenue, it has been claimed. A report by the Resolution Foundation estimates that the poorest families will see their annual council tax bills rise by as much as £600. It says that council tax benefit reforms mean that three-quarters of local authorities will demand increased payments from the 3.2 million poorest working-age households who currently pay either no council tax or a reduced charge. Gavin Kelly, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “Very few of those currently exempt from paying the full rate of council tax are expecting a large new bill to drop onto their doormat this spring. When it does they are going to find it hard to cope.”

Attempts to address rising youth unemployment are being blocked by government ministers, the shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne has warned. In an article in the Guardian, Byrne wrote: “I've heard loud and clear that the Department for Work and Pensions is now too often a handbrake on progress. Most council leaders I speak to have good things to say about their local JobCentre team, but Stalinesque ministers are stopping people on the front line getting on with what works best.” Labour leader Ed Miliband is set to chair a major summit on youth unemployment in Birmingham today.