§ 22. Mr. Ian TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the United Kingdom participation rate in education for 16-year-olds; and what comparable data he has for other European Union countries.
§ Mr. BoswellThe latest available comparisons, which are for 1990, show that some 94 per cent. of 16-year-olds in the United Kingdom took part in some form of education and/or training. This compares well with the position in other EU countries for which data are available, where participation by 16-year-olds ranges from 99 per cent. in Germany to 71 per cent. in Spain.