§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to ensure that all excluded pupils enter full-time education from September. [36020]
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§ Mr. Ivan Lewis[holding answer 13 February 2002]: In 1999 the Government made a commitment that all LEAs would offer full-time education to pupils excluded for 15 days or more by September 2002. All LEAs have reported making progress against meeting this commitment. This year LEAs received more than £36 million for the Social Inclusion: Pupil Support grant to help with the provision of full-time education for excluded children compared to some £26 million last year. In addition, LEAs can transfer funding from schools when a permanent exclusion occurs in order to support the reintegration of the excluded child into a new school or to pay for education outside of school. We are supporting LEAs in meeting the commitment, visiting some LEAs to identify whether there are any barriers to achieving the commitment and what further support we might offer them; and involving education advisers and HMIs in this programme of support. We shall publish a good practice guide for all LEAs by the end of February.