To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils are entitled to free school meals in each maintained school that will not be offering the full range of diplomas from (a) September 2008 and (b) September 2009; and if he will make a statement. (196880)

The vast majority of schools and colleges in England will offer some Diplomas from September 2009 with the support of local universities and employers. We therefore expect the number of maintained schools offering the full range of Diplomas to increase in line with the planned and phased roll out of Diplomas to 2011. All schools will be expected to play a full part in local consortia arrangements to offer all Diploma lines because the 14-19 Entitlement means that from 2013 every young person has the choice to pursue one of 17 Diplomas at an appropriate level for them, wherever they are in the country.

No schools within the Diploma consortia arrangements will be offering the full range of Diplomas in 2008 or 2009 as the full range of Diplomas will not be available until 2011 when the final three Diplomas will be available for first teaching, bringing the total Diploma Lines of Learning to 17.