§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of full-time students stayed in education in the Hazel Grove constituency after the age of(a) 16 and (b) 18 years in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2001. [156177]
§ Mr. WicksAt the heart of our drive to improve participation and attainment is the new Connexions Service which we will be phasing in from April this year. The service will provide information, advice, support and access to personal development opportunities for all 13 to 19-year-olds, whatever their needs and circumstances, to keep them learning. Latest figures show that the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training in England fell by 28,000 from 185,000 in 1998 to 15,000 in 1999.
Data on the percentage of students continuing in post-compulsory education at age 16 are not calculated for areas smaller than LEAs. Participation rates by LEA for 16 and 17-year-olds are published in "Statistical Bulletin 11/00: Participation in education and training by young people aged 16 and 17 in each local area and region, England, 1994–95 to 1998–99".
The percentage of 16-year-olds in full-time education for Stockport LEA, which includes the constituency of Hazel Grove, was 75 per cent. in 1992–93, 66 per cent. in 1997–98 and 67 per cent. in 1998–99, the latest year for which figures are available.