|
(Continued from previous page) There is no national policy governing the stage at which information will be deleted; this, too, is considered a matter for local Connexions Partnerships. We are told that Connexions is 'still evolving' and all of these issues will be sorted out over time, which is scant protection for those already using the service. Aggregate information and a certain amount of personal data is sent to the National Database: the 'Connexions Central Information Service'. Again, there is no mention of the length of time for which centrally-held data will be stored. As it has been confirmed that storage of PLASC information is indefinite, will this also be the case here? Young people are also warmly encouraged to obtain
Connexions Cards, which involves another database, and the sharing of information commercially. The rationale behind Connexions is that a young person's problems are 'barriers to learning', and people who are not learning are, in their turn, barriers to the UK becoming a
'knowledge economy' One more database to go: the Learning and Skills Council intends to build up a grand database of 'Individualised Learner Records', although this one will be done by 'UFI' (the University for Industry) - the consortium of IT companies that runs 'Learndirect' - rather than Capita. The name of this database speaks for itself; 'using the latest techniques of data capture' the LSC intends to collect information from colleges of further education and work-based learning providers, and then hopes to 'match up our database with information on young people collected by the Department for Education and Skills.'
Here's a copy of their press notice Think this sounds OK so far? Click here for a sample of the 'APIR': the information Personal Advisers are actually gathering, and
here to read a letter that ARCH sent to the Information Commissioner.
|