Committee chairman Barry Sheerman

An influential committee of MPs has blamed last year's A Level fiasco on the government.

The Commons education select committee released a report on Monday looking at ministers' failure to run adequate trials of their new system for 16-18 education.

The AS and A2 version of A Levels introduced in 2000 caused the confusion that erupted last autumn.

While not going as far as calling for the exams to be scrapped and replaced with a baccalaureate-style qualification, the committee did demand a "period of stability" and reform of "Curriculum 2000".

They also urged "caution" in debates about the future of the examination system.

Committee chairman Barry Sheerman said that exam boards had been unfairly lumbered with too much of the blame for students being given the wrong grades.

"On the evidence presented to us, we conclude that the events of last summer were not caused by the manipulation of the examination system but by confusion arising from the introduction of the A2 exam without adequate trials," he said.

But Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis claimed that the report had "sidestepped" key issues.

"This report glosses over critical issues in last year's A Level fiasco," he said.

"It has played down allegations that real or perceived pressure was put on exam boards to keep down increases in performance for fear of criticism."