The number of pupils permanently excluded from maintained schools dropped from 12,476 in 1995-96 to 9,135 in 2000-01, David Miliband, schools minister, told Damian Green, shadow education secretary. Numbers peaked to 12,668 in 1996-97. Appeals lodged by parents fell from 1,339 in 1995-96 to 948 in 1999-2000, but rose again in 2000-01 to 1,095. Of those, 185 were successful in 1995-96, but only 317 in 1999-2000 and 314 in 2000-01. Appeals by governors declined dramatically from 141 in 1995-96 to eight in 1999-2000.
