HC Deb 11 June 1959 vol 606 c116W
67. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Education what information he possesses about the number and proportion of children reaching their fifteenth birthdays and staying on at school till the end of the school year in 1958–59, as compared with previous years.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

This information is not available in the form suggested. The following table shows the number and proportion of pupils remaining at school in January each year who had reached their fifteenth birthday by the end of the previous December:

Year Number of 15 year-olds in January 15 year-olds as a Percentage of 13 year-olds two years earlier
1953–54 131,545 25.7
1954–55 134,817 26.7
1955–56 135,284 27.9
1956–57 140,719 29.3
1957–58 166,871 30.8
1958–59 (estimate) 183,000 32.0

68. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Education what provision has been made by his Department for additional numbers of children staying on at school beyond the terms in which they reach their fifteenth birthdays owing to the lack of jobs for school-leavers.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

My plans are designed to encourage as many pupils as possible to stay on at school after the term in which they reach the age of fifteen, and to ensure that they can do so.