§ Mr. Marksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the explicit formula which provides that no information about individual students in further education establishments shall be divulged outside the Department except with the express permission of that individual.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe "individualised data" system of statistics of students in further education establishments in England and Wales embodies the following proposed formula to safeguard the confidentiality of information received in my Department about individual students
The education departments* to give assurances that, unless specific permission of the individuals concerned is given to the contrary and in relation to particular circumstances:
- (i) Information provided to education departments on individual students would not be accessible to persons not employed in the education department's statistical and A.D.P. divisions. Access would be taken to include access to punched cards and magnetic tapes containing details of individuals.
- (ii) The individual data on students would be used solely to provide statistical tabulations designed in such a way as not to reveal information about any individual.
* The term "education departments" refers to the respective education departments in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.