Rob Marris MP

Rob Marris MP (Labour) former MP for Wolverhampton South West. Attended LUG Radio Live 2007, and said he might try out a copy of Ubuntu. Backbencher of the Year for 2008 as voted on by MP's from all political parties. [1]

Issues

Children's Digital Rights

Signed Early Day Motion 686 biometric data collection in schools 19 January 2007

That this House is alarmed at the growing practice of schools collecting and storing the biometric details of children as young as three; notes that up to 3,500 schools use biometric software to record the data of approximately three quarters of a million children; shares parents' concerns that children's data, often including photographs and fingerprints, is stored on unregulated data collection systems and potentially insecure school computer networks and could therefore potentially be misused; notes that collecting the data from children under 12 without parental consent directly contravenes the Data Protection Act; believes that no child should have biometric information taken without the express written permission of their parents; further believes that no child should be excluded from school activities where this permission is not forthcoming; welcomes the decision by the Department for Education and Skills to update guidance to local authorities and schools; and calls on the Government to conduct a full and open consultation with stakeholders, including parents and children, on this issue as part of their redrafting process.

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