School-leavers (Qualifications)

HC Deb 21 January 2004 vol 416 c1331W

Mr. Simmonds

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the total population left school without basic school leaving qualifications in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany. [147438]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The exact information requested is not available. The proportion of the population in each country that had failed to achieve qualifications at the level defined by the OECD as "upper secondary" by the ages shown is, however, as follows:

	Age Group
	25–64	25–34	35–44	45–54	55–64
France	36	22	33	42	54
Germany	17	15	14	17	24
UK	37	32	35	39	45

Source:

Education at a Glance, 2003, OECD (derived from Table A1.2, page 41)

"Upper secondary" is defined in the UK context as attaining five GCSEs at grades A^*-C or an equivalent vocational qualification (for example, a GNVQ at foundation or intermediate level).