HC Deb 30 June 1992 vol 210 cc456-7W
Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans he has to make a study of indefinite pupil exclusions from school;

(2) whether he will make it his policy to collect statistics from local education authorities on pupil exclusions annually; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth

Information on pupils permanently excluded from school is already being collected from local education authorities over a two-year period starting with the summer term 1990 under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). My right hon. Friend will review the need for further statistics or studies in the light of the findings from NERS and other intelligence.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether he will issue guidance to local education authorities on (a) the recording of pupil exclusions from school and (b) the tuition of pupils excluded from school;

(2) whether he will commission an independent study of the underlying causes of the increase in pupil exclusions from schools.

Mr. Forth

My right hon. Friend will consider the need for such guidance, and for further study, as part of his forthcoming review of the operation of the exclusion provisions in the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 in the light of the returns from the national exclusions reporting system and other information.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he intends to publish the report on the two-year study of pupil exclusions.

Mr. Forth

Final returns under the national exclusions reporting system must reach the Department for analysis by 30 September. When that process is completed, and in the light of his review of the exclusions procedures more generally, my right hon. Friend will consider how the information should be made available.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he intends to monitor the incidence of exclusions from school among pupils from ethnic minorities.

Mr. Forth

Information on the ethnic origin of pupils permanently excluded from school is already collected under the national exclusions reporting system.