There is nothing to suggest any of the "missing" youngsters from Bradford are victims of any crime, Education Bradford told the Commons Home Affairs select committee yesterday after being summoned to explain the shock figures revealed by Children's Minister Kevin Brennan earlier this month.

But John Gaskin, managing director of the private company running Bradford's schools, was unable to say how many other youngsters are on "extended leave" – which MPs suggested could mean they had been taken out of the country to be forced to marry – and said he would not speculate on how high the figure could be. Under fierce questioning from chairman Keith Vaz - who told him at one point a lack of clarity over figures was "unsatisfactory" – Mr Gaskin insisted some of the speculation around the missing pupils being forced into marriage was "incorrect" and said the company and council had followed procedures to try to trace the children.

Amid surprise from MPs at the revelation many of the missing were boys and few were of Pakistani origin, Mr Vaz put to him: "You have no concerns about any of the children?"

Mr Gaskin – who said the youngest "missing" child was six – said: "We don't have any concerns about whether any of these are victims of crime."

Yesterday's appearance by Mr Gaskin and Bradford City Council's children's services director Kath Tunstall – who said three known forced marriages have been investigated in Bradford in three years – came after Mr Brennan stunned the committee with his claim about the number of children who had disappeared from school rolls.

It was later claimed that more than 2,000 children had gone missing from registers in 15 areas considered to be forced marriage hotspots, although some areas have questioned the figures.

Ministers have expressed concern about the figures, and the Home Affairs committee had held extra sessions to try to get to the bottom of the issue.

Meanwhile yesterday the committee was also told decisions designed to prevent forced marriages are being overturned by the courts, with 37 successful appeals last year overturning decisions to refuse visas to Pakistani nationals.

In all, 452 visas were refused for Pakistani applicants on the grounds of abuse within the family.

These included suspected cases of forced marriage, the committee was told.

Victims of forced marriages may even be put in the position of giving evidence to the immigration tribunal to back the appeal by their spouse's appeal, he added.

"This is the real tragedy of the situation, that sponsors are forced into this situation," Mr Sedwill told the select committee.

The committee also heard that 168 cases of forced marriage were dealt with by the forced marriage unit last year.