§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many prosecutions have taken90W place for non-attendance at school in each year since 1997; how many have resulted in convictions; and what sentences were passed. [53890]
§ Mr. Ivan Lewis[holding answer 2 May 2002]: Information on prosecutions brought under Education Act 1996, section 444 "failing to secure regular attendance at school", will be available for the first time in 'Criminal Statistics for England & Wales 2001' which will be published by the Home Office in September of this year. This section of the Act has only come onto the criminal statistics code book for 2001; previously it was grouped within all prosecutions under the Education Act 1996 and it is not possible to separate the different sections of the Act.