Thank you for contacting the Department for Education. If you are
contacting us about coronavirus (COVID-19) you can find advice and
guidance on [1]GOV.UK. This includes [2]guidance for educational settings
in England. You can also contact our coronavirus helpline on 0800 046
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For emails and other written enquiries you will usually receive a reply
within 15 working days. You can find out how the department processes your
personal information by reading our [3]Privacy Notice.

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Dear Pippa King,

Thank you for your request for information, which was received on 2 July
2021, in which you asked for the following information:

“Dear Department for Education,

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 please provide data for the
following:

These questions are specifically relating to schools/establishments up to
the age of 18.

1) Please advise the number of complaints the Department of Education has
received by either parents/carers or students since 2012 surrounding the
issues of consent, taking and processing of biometric data in education.


2) Have the Department of Education ever tested, inspected or otherwise
(please advise) the standard and/or specification of any hardware or
software of biometric technology used in schools.


3) Please advise the biometric technology standards that the Department of
Education requires to be used in schools. I.e, British Standard,
encryption standard, etc.


4) Please give a list of suppliers that provide biometric technology to
schools.


5) Please advise what type of biometrics are being used in schools.
 I.e.
fingerprints, facial recognition, etc.

Some parts of this request may be easier to answer than others and in such
case please could you release available data as soon as possible rather
than delay the entire request. If you are not fully certain of what it is
I am asking then I look forward to contact from you as soon as possible to
clarify what it is I am requesting in order to meet your obligations under
the law. If the costs of processing this request exceed the limit in the
Act, please advise on what information you are able to supply within the
cost limit.

Yours faithfully,

Pippa King”

I have dealt with your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
(“the Act”).

The Department does not hold any of the information you have requested.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number (2021-0033572) in any future
communications.

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled, you should
make a complaint to the Department by writing to me within two calendar
months of the date of this letter.  Your complaint will be considered by
an independent review panel, who were not involved in the original
consideration of your request. 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint to the
Department, you may then contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Officer

Office of the Chief Digital and Technology Officer
Digital and Technology Directorate
Department for Education

Thank you for contacting the Department for Education. We can confirm that
we have received the Freedom of Information request you submitted.

We will respond to you within 20 working days.

Dear Pippa King,
 

The Department is unaware of any other Government Departments holding
biometric data on students and pupils.
 

Yours sincerely,

Office of the Chief Digital and Technology Officer
Digital and Technology Directorate
Department for Education