§ 15. Mr. Michael Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to obtain and publish information about truancy in Welsh secondary schools, and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MorrisInformation is now being analysed about rates of absence and unjustified absence in secondary and middle schools in Wales on a day in January this year. The main results from this survey should be available shortly.
§ Mr. RobertsI am grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman for that reply. Is he aware that reports of truancy are causing grave parental alarm? Is he further aware that truancy and a breakdown of discipline are causing widespread disillusion over the raising of the school leaving age in the staffrooms of comprehensive schools, in particular in large urban areas?
§ Mr. MorrisCertainly the question of truancy is an important matter which caused concern to the previous administration, and that was why the survey was commissioned on, I believe, 17th January this year. As the hon. Gentleman put forward in the debate on education, the statistics are not yet available. I hope, however, that they will be available shortly.