We are certain that Edexcel exams meet the same standards as those of other awarding bodies.

BBC: Government calls for 'fundamental reform' of exam system

He said there had been a number of inaccuracies in papers across the five awarding bodies.

BBC: exam pic generic

In a statement, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said it recommended "universities and scholarship-awarding bodies use their own discretion over fees".

BBC: Syrian students face fees crisis

If McDonald's and other UK private sector awarding bodies end up being covered by FOI, that will only extend to questions about their role as awarders of qualifications.

BBC: A Big Mac with extra FOIs, please

"At present, a plethora of different practices and formats adopted by individual awarding bodies militates against efficient and effective processes used within Ucas and its member institutions, " the submission says.

BBC: University concern over new A-levels

"We felt as regulators, England, Wales and ourselves that we should write to the awarding bodies to express our disappointment at what has happened and to say that this is unacceptable, " Mr McCune said.

BBC: exam pic generic

Since researchers, administrators and grant-awarding bodies all take note of which work has got through this filtering mechanism, the competition to publish in the best journals is intense, and the system becomes self-reinforcing, increasing the value of those journals still further.

ECONOMIST: Academic journals face a radical shake-up

"We are very disappointed that Ofqual and the awarding bodies have refused to take responsibility for their actions and to acknowledge that many thousands of young people's career ambitions have been undermined by a failure to implement the new qualification properly, " said Mr Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

BBC: Head teachers take GCSE battle to court

After the forthcoming NHS reforms, will commissioning bodies awarding valuable contracts to health providers from the private sector be able to obtain assurances that the finances of these private healthcare companies are stronger than Southern Cross's.

BBC: The financial lessons of Southern Cross