To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what percentage of people aged 24 years or under were classified as not in education, employment or training on the latest date for which figures are available are graduates. (286221)

[holding answer 13 July 2009]: The number of people aged¹ 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training in the first quarter (January to March) of 2009 was 935,000. Of these, 7.2 per cent. (67,000) held a degree level qualification (or a qualification equivalent to a degree, level 5) or higher.

These estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). This is a sample survey subject to variability so numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to one decimal place.

¹ Age used is the respondents academic age, which is their age at the preceding 31 August.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged between 16 and 24 years old who were classified as not in education, employment or training at the latest date for which figures are available have at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C. (286222)

[holding answer 13 July 2009]: The number of people aged¹ 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training in the first quarter (January to March) of 2009 was 935,000. Of these, 404,000 (43.2 per cent.) held an NQF level 2 qualification or higher. NQF level 2 is the equivalent to five GCSEs grade A*-C.

These estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). This is a sample survey subject to variability so numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to one decimal place.

¹ Age used is the respondents academic age, which is their age at the preceding 31 August.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what percentage of people aged between 16 and 24 years old classified as not in education, employment or training on the latest date for which figures are available do not have a level 3 qualification. (286223)

[holding answer 13 July 2009]: The number of people aged¹ 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training in the first quarter (January to March) of 2009 was 935,000. Of these, 79.6 per cent. (744,000) did not hold a level 3 qualification.

These estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). This is a sample survey subject to variability so numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to one decimal place.

¹ Age used is the respondents academic age, which is their age at the preceding 31 August.