§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking to reduce the number of children failing to attend school; and what discussions he has had with officials and Ministers in the Home Office regarding truancy from schools. [92013]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisOn 12 December 2002, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, set out his strategy to improve behaviour and attendance in all schools. In doing so, he underlined our commitment to the Public Service Agreement: by 2004, to reduce truancies by 10 per cent. compared to 2002, to sustain the new lower level, and improve overall attendance levels thereafter. To achieve this objective, we have introduced a range of initiatives, such as the co-ordination of national truancy sweeps, funding for electronic registration systems, the development of guidance for more effective prosecutions and a sustained publicity campaign aimed at parents and pupils. In addition, we are proposing a new package of support and sanctions, such as behaviour and attendance training and audits available to all secondary schools from September, fixed penalty notices for parents of persistent truants and the introduction of parenting contracts.
Ministers and officials in this Department and the Home Office are in regular contact on truancy issues, for example through the Government's Street Crime Initiative and in developing measures for the proposed Anti-Social Behaviour Bill.