Written question asked by Eric Forth (Conservative) on Wednesday, 26 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 December 2003. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Thursday, 4 December 2003 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Dept for Education and Skills

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils committed truancy from secondary schools in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils committed truancy from secondary schools in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available. [R] [140584] Mr. Ivan Lewis: The level of truancy is properly expressed as the percentage of all available half days missed due to unauthorised absence. The data for unauthorised absences from secondary schools in 1997/98 and 2002/03 is in the following table: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. School year 1997/98 2002/03 Pupil population 2,786,943 3,003,590 Number of pupils missing at least one half 452,900 630,058 day Average number of half days missed 20 17 Percentage of half days missed 1.10 1.08 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information