Written question asked by Glyn Davies (Conservative) on Tuesday, 8 March 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 10 March 2011. It was answered by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Friday, 18 March 2011 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Parents: Fines

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parents of children in age group (a) 5 to 11 and (b) 12 to 16 were fined as a result of their children not attending school in each local education authority in each of the last five years.

Answer: Information from the Ministry of Justice court proceedings database show the number of defendants (parents/including carers) fined at all courts for offences relating to failing to ensure their children's regular school attendance in England and Wales for the years 2005 to 2009 can be viewed in table 1, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries. Data are held centrally at police force area level and not local education authority area. The information held does not identify the age group of the child.The Department also collects and publishes data at local authority level for England on the number of penalty notices (fines) issued to parents for the offence of failing to ensure their children's regular school attendance. The information held does not identify the age group of the child. Data provided in table 2, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries relates to each of the last five academic years from 2004 to 2009 for all local authorities in England. Fuller details are also available on the Department's website at:"http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/parents/a0010302/parental-responsibility-data"

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 46050; 525 c706W
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP2011-0485
Friday, 18 March 2011
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects: Fines Truancy
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk