HC Deb 28 March 1985 vol 76 c295W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated number of gipsy children of school age not receiving educational provision; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dunn

It was estimated in 1983 that there were between 12,000 and 15,000 travellers' children of school age in England. Of these, the evidence gathered by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools and set out in the HMI discussion paper "The Education of Travellers' Children", published in 1983, suggested that between 40 and 50 per cent. of primary aged children may have been attending school whilst as few as 10 per cent. to 15 per cent. of secondary age children were thought to be registered at school. Since the publication of that document a number of LEAs have reviewed their provision for travellers' children in the light of it.

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