To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils with statemented special educational needs of (a) behavioural, emotional or social difficulties and (b) autism were given (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four, (v) five and (vi) more than five fixed-period exclusions from (A) mainstream primary and (B) mainstream secondary schools in the latest year for which data are available. (262105)

Data on pupil characteristics linked to exclusions were collected in the School Census for the first time in 2005/06, but was collected from secondary schools only. In 2006/07 data were also collected from primary and special schools. The special educational needs status can change between periods of exclusion and the Department is currently working on a methodology for the analysis of this information.