§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is, under the proposals outlined in the Children's Green Paper, on retention of data files kept on children when they become adults; and under what circumstances(a) children and (b) those with parental responsibility will have access to them. [145707]
§ Margaret HodgeThe Queen's Speech said that a Bill will be introduced to improve services designed to protect children. This will implement proposals contained in the Children's Green Paper "Every Child 135W Matters", and, subject to consideration of responses to the Green Paper consultation, will include proposals that each local authority should set up a local information sharing system to enable practitioners to share early information about children and young people so that better services can be provided to them and their families.
The Green Paper proposals relate to children and young people to age 19. Local authorities will be responsible for the proposed local information hubs and will be required to comply with the Data Protection Act in the way they manage and run the hubs. The data protection principles set out in the Act include requirements that personal data shall be accurate and up to date, not excessive for the purpose for which it is held and that it is kept for no longer than necessary. Data held on information hubs will be held in accordance with these requirements. How long data on any particular child is held will depend upon individual
Maintained primary schools1: average class size2 position in January each year, 1997 to 2003 Classes taught by one teacher Location 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Brent East Constituency 26.1 27.0 27.1 27.3 27.4 26.4 26.9 Brent LEA 26.5 26.7 27.2 27.4 27.3 27.1 27.6 London 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.3 27.0 26.9 26.9 England 27.5 27.7 27.5 27.1 26.7 26.3 26.3 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Classes as taught during one selected period in each school on the day of the Census in January. Source:
Annual Schools' Census
Maintained secondary schools1: average class size2 position in January each year, 1997 to 2003 Classes taught by one teacher Location 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Brent East Constituency 20.3 19.9 20.2 20.9 21.8 21.0 22.4 Brent LEA 20.5 20.2 20.0 20.5 22.2 21.5 21.3 London 21.7 21.7 21.8 22.0 22.1 22.1 21.9 England 21.7 21.7 21.9 22.0 22.0 21.9 21.9 1 Includes middle schools as deemed. 2 Classes as taught during one selected period in each school on the day of the Census in January. Source:
Annual Schools' Census