To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) permanent and (b) temporary exclusions there were in England in each year from 2000 to 2006; and how many were as a result of (i) drug taking, (ii) drug selling, (iii) violence towards other pupils, (iv) violence towards teachers, (v) vandalism of school property, (vi) theft of school property, (vii) possession of a weapon and (viii) other reasons; (116958)

The number of assaults on school staff is not collected centrally.

For the academic years 2003-04 and 2004-05 information is available on the reasons for pupil exclusions. These reasons include physical assault against an adult and verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against an adult.

Tables showing the available information about the number of pupils who have been excluded from school on either a permanent of fixed period basis including all the available reasons for exclusion have been placed in the House Library.