(1)The Secretary of State may by order provide for an existing vocational specification to be treated, for all purposes or for purposes specified in the order, as if it were an apprenticeship framework issued under section 14(1) that specified requirements for the purpose of the issue of apprenticeship certificates.
(2)For the purposes of its application in relation to an existing vocational specification that, by virtue of an order under subsection (1), is treated as an apprenticeship framework issued under section 14(1), this Chapter has effect subject to any modifications specified in the order.
(3)An order under subsection (1) must—
(a)specify a date on which the deemed framework is to be treated as being issued under section 14(1);
(b)specify a date on which recognition of the deemed framework is to be treated as having been withdrawn under section 14(2);
(c)specify a qualification that the deemed framework is to be treated as identifying as the competencies qualification;
(d)specify the level and apprenticeship sector that are to be treated as being stated in the deemed framework.
(4)The date specified under subsection (3)(b) in an order under subsection (1) must be no later than the day after the day that is the school leaving date for 2013.
(5)In this section—
“the deemed framework”, in relation to an order under subsection (1), means an existing vocational specification that, by virtue of the order, is treated as an apprenticeship framework issued under section 14(1);
“existing vocational specification” means a specification, prepared before the coming into force of section 14, of training, qualifications and skills appropriate for persons engaging in a particular trade, skill or occupation.
(6)Nothing in this section limits the powers conferred by sections 262 and 265.