Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of school days missed by pupils due to (a) gang involvement and (b) incidents of violence in the latest period for which data is available.

The information requested is not held centrally regarding data on the number of school days missed due to gang involvement or incidents of violence.

A Ministry of Justice study, ‘Examining the Educational Background of Young Knife Possession Offenders,’ showed that around 80% of young knife possession offenders had been persistently absent from education at some point over a five year period. Education is clearly a protective factor for young people, and regular attendance at school or at other education provision is important in ensuring every pupil can meet their full potential. The measures set out in the Government’s response to the Timpson review of school exclusion will play a key role in ensuring that every young person is safe and free to fulfil their potential away from violent crime.