§ Mr. SedgemoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) on 20 January,Official Report, column 282, if he intends to provide schools with a national definition of what constitutes (a) truancy and (b) an unauthorised absence.
§ Mr. ForthTruancy and unauthorised absence are terms which are largely interchangeable. They may be defined as absence from school without leave from a duly authorised person. Guidance as to what constitutes authorised absence was given in DFE circular 11/91, published in July 1991. A copy is available in the Library.