HL Deb 08 March 2005 vol 670 c75WA
Lord Hanningfield

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many pupils they estimate on average are truant from schools in London each day. [HL1216]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Filkin)

We estimate that in 2003–04 on average on any one day, about 8,900 pupils were absent without prior approval from London schools. This equates to an unauthorised absence rate of 0.99 per cent.