HL Deb 18 July 2000 vol 615 cc83-4WA
Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether analyses of schools' examination results produced by the National Consortium of Examination Results (NCER) are currently available to members of the public under the code of practice or other arrangements; and whether they will be available under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Bill from (a) the NCER, or (b) local education authorities; and, if not, why not. [HL3304]

Baroness Blackstone

The National Consortium of Examination Results (NCER) is an informal association of local education authorities in England, the purpose of which is to make arrangements on their behalf for the provision of information on pupils' examination and National Curriculum assessment results and associated services. The consortium does not itself hold such data and does not, therefore, make information available to members of the public.

Since it has no separate legal status, the NCER would not be considered a public authority under the terms of the Freedom of Information Bill currently before Parliament. As public authorities, the Bill's provisions for the statutory rights of access to information will apply to local education authorities when enacted.