§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many young people in Scotland took (a) general certificate of education O levels, (b) certificate of secondary education examinations and (c) both sets of examinations in 1985; and of these groups what is his best estimate of the number who did not return to school in the September term.
§ Mr. Allan StewartInformation in the form requested is not available centrally. In Scotland, the overwhelming majority of young people seeking certificated awards are presented for Scottish certificate of education (SCE) ordinary grade examinations. In 1984, the latest year for which information is available, 69,514 pupils in their fourth year of secondary education were presented for SCE ordinary grade examinations, of whom an estimated 23,300 did not return to school in August 1984.