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This chapter reviews the development of the competence movement in Britain and the related literature, concentrating on the period 1985-95. The author argues that the rate of development of the competence movement now exceeds understanding of both its effectiveness and its social significance. The discussion begins by tracing the increasing importance of competence-based education and training (CBET) as an aspect of government policy and its application to technical and vocational education. Particular attention is given to the range of possible meanings of the term competence, debates over the issue and the emergence of a dominant definition in the context of the British National Vocational Qualification system. This chapter highlights the need for further research within the competence field and the latter part of this chapter outlines possible avenues for research.