HC Deb 04 December 2001 vol 376 c254W
Richard Burden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in Birmingham, Northfield left full-time education at the age of 16 years in the last three years. [19389]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

[holding answer 3 December 2001]: Data on the number and percentage of students continuing in post-compulsory education at age 16 are not calculated for areas smaller than LEAs, as reliable estimates cannot be made for small areas.

The percentage of 16-year-olds not participating in full-time education for Birmingham LEA, which includes the constituency of Birmingham Northfield, in the last three years for which figures are available is set out as follows:

16-year-olds not in full-time education: Birmingham LEA
1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
Percentage 33 32 33
Number 4,500 4,300 4.5

Participation rates by LEA are published in an annual statistical bulletin, "Participation in Education and Training by Young People Aged 16 and 17 in Each Local Area and Region, England".