To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of 16 to 18 year-olds in full-time education are in receipt of educational maintenance allowances; and how this compares with the previous two years. [HL1739]

The percentage of 16 to 18 year-olds participating in full-time education in school or college and in receipt of education maintenance allowances for the previous two years is provided in the table below. These data relate to England only. We are unable to provide data for the current academic year as we do not have the final number of recipients of education maintenance allowances or the final estimates for full-time participation at this stage of the year.

Notes:

1. 2009-10 data are not available until final EMA recipient numbers and full-time participation estimates are known.

2. Provisional official estimates of 16-18 full-time further education will be published in June 2010 as part of the Statistical First Release Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 year olds in England.

3. Full-time further education does not include learners on the Entry to Employment (E2E) programme, which will become part of Foundation Learning at the start of 2010-11.

4. There are three payment bands for EMA, of £10 £20 or £30 a week, subject to household income.