§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are made by local education authorities in Northern Ireland for allowing parents access to their children's school records; what guidance he has issued to them on this matter; whether he proposes to take any steps to encourage them to allow greater access to information held on automated and non-automated records; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottParents receive regular reports on their children's progress; in addition, transfer reports, which are prepared when children move from primary to secondary education, are discussed with and seen by parents before they are sent to receiving secondary schools. Relationships between schools and parents in Northern Ireland are in the main open, co-operative and fruitful. It has not been felt necessary to issue any specific guidance to Education and Library Boards or other school authorities on this matter, except in relation to transfer reports; I have no plans to issue further guidance. The Data Protection Bill will, of course, create a general entitlement to access by individuals to automated personal records held on them when it comes into operation. Parents will have a common law right to access to such records on behalf of their children where their children are not of an age to exercise for themselves the right provided by the Act.
§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are made for those 201W receiving grants for further education in Northern Ireland to obtain a breakdown of the provisions made for various purposes in their grants; what guidance he has issued on the matter; whether he proposes to take any steps to allow greater access to such information held on automated and non-automated records; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottIt is normal practice for students to be informed by the award making bodies of the amounts of both main and supplementary grants and also the amount of any parental or spouse's contributions due. No specific guidance has been issued on the way in which students should be informed about any award they may receive. The Data Protection Bill will, of course, create a general entitlement to access by individuals to automated personal records held on them when it comes into operation.