To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18-year-olds were in (i) full-time education, (ii) full-time training, (iii) employment and (iv) none of the above in (A) 1995, (B) 2000, (C) 2005 and (D) the last year for which figures are available, broken down by local education authority. (130252)

The Department publish annual statistics on the participation in education and training by 16 and 17-year-olds in each local area in England. The latest publication can be viewed here:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000645/index.shtml

This publication is the source of the figures used to answer this question.

The table, which has been placed in the Library, gives the number and percentage of (a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds who were in (i) Full-time education, (ii) Work-based learning and (iii) Total in Education and Work-based learning in (A) 1995, (B) 2000 and (C) 2004.

There is no information available on a comparable basis at the local authority level on the participation of 18-year-olds or the number of young people in employment. 2004 is the latest year for which data are available. The figures refer to young people resident in the local authority at the end of the year.