HC Deb 11 June 1998 vol 313 cc694-5W
26. Ms Dari Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the publication of me social exclusion unit's first report on school exclusions and truancy. [43782]

Ms Estelle Morris

The report has highlighted the devastating effects of truancy and exclusions.

We are taking urgent action to implement the report's recommendations. These include new targets for reductions in truancy and exclusion; new financial incentives to schools to prevent exclusion; incentives to admit children excluded from other schools, and new statutory guidance to prevent schools from excluding for trivial reasons.

30. Mr. Blizzard

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures he is taking to reduce truancy and exclusions in schools. [43786]

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures he is taking to reduce school exclusions and truancy. [43754]

Ms Estelle Morris

We are implementing the wide-ranging recommendations in the recently published report on Truancy and School Exclusion. A copy of this report has been placed in the Libraries.

My hon. Friend the Minister for School Standards will chair a cross-departmental Task Force in order to make swift progress.