EDUCATION chiefs in York and North Yorkshire will be told to introduce a scheme to cut truancy by threatening parents with jail by the end of this year.

Government trials found that more than half of parents facing a possible prison sentence ensured their children returned to school.

It meant that prosecutions - which were to be carried out within 12 weeks under the "fast track" process - proved unnecessary.

New laws have already been passed to allow the parents to be fast-tracked to court, and the department for education is urging City of York Council,

along with North Yorkshire County Council, to get the scheme up and running by Christmas.

The study - of the first 21 pilot schemes - found that, in 751 of the 1,490 cases launched, the truants returned to school. Under the fast track scheme, parents are given 12 weeks - one school term - to tackle their children's persistent skipping of lessons.

A court summons is sent out if there is no improvement by the eighth week.

Parents can be fined up to £2,500 or jailed for up to three months, if the case goes to court.

Ivan Lewis, minister for skills, said only eight per cent of persistent truants achieved five A*-C GCSEs, with about a third gaining no passes whatsoever.

He said: "Every day in school counts. This is a complete waste of potential, and a passport to unemployment, anti-social behaviour and criminality.

"While the vast majority of parents are willing and able to make sure their children attend school regularly, it is a sad fact that a minority do not.

"For those parents who deliberately condone or encourage their child's truancy, the message is clear - prosecution works."

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, July 03, 2003