To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people were in receipt of educational maintenance allowance in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each year since its introduction. (130951)

This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the DFES and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 11 April 2007:

I am writing in response to your recent parliamentary question that asked; “How many young people have been in receipt of educational maintenance allowance in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each year since its introduction?”

The answer to this question was covered in my letter dated 21 March 2007. I have enclosed a copy for your information.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 21 March 2007:

I am writing in response to your parliamentary questions 125444 and 125465 that asked: “ How many people in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex have received an educational maintenance allowance” and; “ How many young people in Eastbourne received an educational maintenance allowance in each year since the introduction of the allowance ”

Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received one or more Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) payment is available at Local Authority level, but not at district level.

The following table shows EMA take-up for East Sussex local authority area during each academic year since the introduction of the allowance. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year

I hope this information is useful and addresses your question.