It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The department does not hold responsibility for policy on arrests or detentions as this is a matter for the Home Office, as the department responsible for policing. We do not hold data on parents in custody.

The department’s statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets clear expectations for schools and local authorities on attendance support and the proportionate use of enforcement, including when penalty notices or prosecution may be considered for persistent non‑attendance. The national framework for penalty notices is intended to improve fairness and consistency by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country and on an individual basis, preventing the use of blanket rules.

The guidance emphasises a support‑first approach and makes clear that legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate, including in most cases of unauthorised term‑time holidays. The department engages regularly with local authorities to support consistent implementation and keeps the attendance enforcement system under review.

The department’s statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets clear expectations for schools and local authorities on attendance support and the proportionate use of enforcement, including when penalty notices or prosecution may be considered for persistent non‑attendance. The national framework for penalty notices is intended to improve fairness and consistency by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country and on an individual basis, preventing the use of blanket rules.

The guidance emphasises a support‑first approach and makes clear that legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate, including in most cases of unauthorised term‑time holidays. The department engages regularly with local authorities to support consistent implementation and keeps the attendance enforcement system under review.

Evidence on the use of legal interventions for non-attendance, including penalty notices and prosecutions, is considered alongside wider attendance data and local authority feedback to assess the effectiveness of current penalties.

Attendance data for unauthorised absence in the 2024/25 academic year showed our approach is having a positive impact, as the proportion of absence due to unauthorised holiday fell from 0.53% in 2023/24 to 0.48% in 2024/25 meaning approximately 1.3 million fewer absence sessions due to unauthorised holidays across the 2024/25 school year. The overall rate of absence fell by 0.37 percentage points, resulting in over five million more days in school last year.

Our guidance is clear that enforcement should be used as a last resort and as part of a broader support-first approach. 93% of penalty notices issued in 2024/25 were for unauthorised term-time holidays, demonstrating that fixed penalty notices are being used primarily in circumstances where support is not appropriate, as intended.

The department continues to work with schools and local authorities to promote effective practice and improve attendance outcomes for all pupils.

The department’s statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets clear expectations for schools and local authorities on attendance support and the proportionate use of enforcement, including when penalty notices or prosecution may be considered for persistent non‑attendance. The national framework for penalty notices is intended to improve fairness and consistency by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country and on an individual basis, preventing the use of blanket rules.

The guidance emphasises a support‑first approach and makes clear that legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate, including in most cases of unauthorised term‑time holidays. The department engages regularly with local authorities to support consistent implementation and keeps the attendance enforcement system under review.

The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education and it is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education. Our guidance emphasises a support first approach and makes clear that fines and legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate. Fines remain one part of our system for reducing school absence, therefore the amount must reflect the potential short and longer-term impact of absence on the pupil, their teachers, and other pupils at the school. If parents cannot afford to pay a school attendance penalty notice, they should contact their local council immediately to explain their financial situation, as they may be able to offer guidance or support.

The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education and it is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education. Our guidance emphasises a support first approach and makes clear that fines and legal intervention should only be used where support has been exhausted, not engaged with, or is not appropriate. Fines remain one part of our system for reducing school absence, therefore the amount must reflect the potential short and longer-term impact of absence on the pupil, their teachers, and other pupils at the school. If parents cannot afford to pay a school attendance penalty notice, they should contact their local council immediately to explain their financial situation, as they may be able to offer guidance or support.