Concern at plans for online database of pupil information was raised by Children’s Champion Daphne Caine in Tynwald.

Members approved new regulations covering the holding of information about children on a database, but Mrs Caine (Garff) sought more detail from Education Minister Graham Cregeen.

’What assurances can he give parents as to the security of the database to be used for the children’s information?’ she asked. ’Can he confirm it will only be academic information that will be stored?’

Acknowledging many parents would welcome the development, she wanted to know what provision would be made for those who did not want their children’s information held on a database.

Additionally, she asked how parents without internet access would be able to view the information.

Julie Edge (LibVannin, Onchan) wanted to know who would run the portal once the database was up and running and whether it was separate from the school management system.

Mr Cregeen said the regulations were drawn up in response to a request put to the department.

’This is enabling legislation,’ he said. ’The work has not been carried out to have the portal put in place.’

He said the information that would be held on the database was already held by individual schools.

That included attendance records, annual and interim reports. Parents would be able to check details about their child and allow corrections

Data security was a ’key priority’, he said, and the system would be evaluated with the assistance of Government Technology Services, which, before access to information was enabled.