To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

(1) how many people in receipt of the education maintenance allowance subsequently did not complete the course of education for which the allowance was provided in each year since its inception;

(2) how many people were in receipt of the education maintenance allowance in each London borough in each year since its inception.

The LSC operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) scheme for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

The LSC does not collect information specifically about completion rates for learners in receipt of EMA and there are no recent estimates available. However, it would be reasonable to expect improvements in completion rates to contribute to increased attainment by EMA recipients. Recent analysis commissioned by the LSC shows significant positive impacts on the attainment of young people taking Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications. These positive impacts have been particularly strong among more disadvantaged groups such as those from the most deprived neighbourhoods and those who had previously achieved less well academically.

A copy of the results of this evaluation, with a summary of the key findings, was placed in the House Library on 3 December 2007.

Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 17 June 2008:

I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked;

"How many people were in receipt of the education maintenance allowance in each London borough in each year since its inception".

Information on the number of young people who have applied, enrolled and received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at Local Authority Level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.

In the first year of national roll out EMA was available to all 16 year olds across England and to 17 and 18 year olds in former pilot areas (young people who are 19 are entitled to receive EMA in certain circumstances). In 2005/06 EMA roll out continued and EMA was available to all 16 and 17 year olds nationally. In 2006/07 EMA is available to all 16, 17 and 18 year olds nationally.

The following table shows EMA take-up for each London Local Authority area during each academic year since inception:

EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and to date in 2007/08 is now also available on the LSC website, at the following address:

http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/Data/statistics/learner/EMA_take_up.htm