Written question asked by Lindsay Hoyle (Labour) on Monday, 24 February 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 12 March 2003. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Wednesday, 12 March 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, if he will make a statement on his plans to provide more powers to welfare officers to curb truancy in schools.

Answer: Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his plans to provide more powers to welfare officers to curb truancy in schools. [99658] Mr. Ivan Lewis: The forthcoming Anti-Social Behaviour Bill will formally enable education welfare officers to ask parents who fail to secure their child's regular attendance at school to sign a parenting contract. This will mean agreeing to co-operate with support arranged by the local authority (typically a parenting course) and taking specified action to improve their child's attendance. Refusal to sign or breach of contract may result in a fixed penalty notice or prosecution. The Bill will also enable education welfare officers to issue fixed penalty notices to parents who condone or ignore truancy. Failure to pay the penalty will result in prosecution. These new powers will complement existing measures for tackling truancy, including `fast-track' prosecutions and truancy sweeps.

Secondary information