Gang members did not play a dominant role in the August riots, while those arrested mainly came from deprived areas and had poor educational backgrounds, official figures have suggested.

Reports by the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Metropolitan Police also show that two-thirds of youngsters involved in the disturbances have special educational needs.

The reports have shed new light on the disturbances, suggesting that the riots could cost up to 30 times as much in London as first thought.

The Met has now received more than 3,844 compensation claims, totalling around £300m, after MPs were told last month that there had been 100 claims under the Riot Damages Act, totalling £9.3m.

Official analysis shows that only 13% of those arrested were identified has having gang connections, while in London the figure jumped to almost 20%.

The Home Office overview of arrests stated ‘most police forces perceived that, where gang members were involved, they generally did not play a pivotal role,' adding that ‘there were a few examples which suggest orchestrated offending relating to gang activity'.

The MoJ and Home Office analysis showed that two thirds of young people involved in the riots had special educational needs and a third had been excluded from school in the past year.

The MoJ analysis states: ‘It is clear that compared to population averages, those brought before the courts were more likely to be in receipt of free meals or benefits, were more likely to have special education needs and be absent from school, and are more likely to have some form of criminal history. This pattern held across all areas looked at.'

Figures showed that more than a third of 10 to 17-year-olds before the courts had been excluded on one or more occasion in 2009-10. Only one in ten youngsters involved in rioting had achieved five or more A to C grades at GCSE, compared with more that half of all pupils in 2009-10

MoJ figures confirm that 90% of those arrested were male more than half were under the age of 20.

Scotland Yard's interim review acknowledged failings in is reaction to the disorder, in particular a lack of officers on the first night, 6 August. It is re-examining options for obtaining intelligence from social networking sites such as Twitter.