Education Department reprimanded for 'lamentable' data breach by betting companies

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The Department for Education (DfE) has been reprimanded by the UK's data protection watchdog after allowing gambling companies to access a database of children's learning records.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has said the DfE's poor due diligence allowed a company to gain access to the Student Learning Records database intended for use by education providers to verify whether those opening online gambling accounts were 18 years old.

A survey conducted by the data protection regulator revealed that a database of student learning records was used by Trust Systems Software UK Ltd, trading as Trustopia, a job screening company, to check whether people opening online gambling accounts were 18 years old.

The ICO said that as the information was not used for its original purpose, it was therefore in breach of data protection law.

Our investigation revealed that the processes put in place by the Ministry of Education were dismal. The data was being misused, and the department didn't even know there was a problem until a national newspaper reported it

Information Commissioner John Edwards

The database contains personal information on up to 28 million children and young people from the age of 14, including their full name, date of birth and gender, as well as a record of their learning and training - data that is retained for 66 years.

Information Commissioner John Edwards said the matter was so serious it would warrant a fine over £10million.

But under a trial approach to the public sector introduced earlier this year, the fine is not being imposed in order to prevent the public to be negatively affected by a significant loss of funds for a public sector body.

"No one needs to persuade that a he database of student learning records used to assist gambling companies is unacceptable," Edwards said.< /p>

"Our investigation revealed that the processes put in place by The Ministry of Education were dismal.

We all have the absolute right to expect our ministries centrals treat the data they hold about us with the utmost respect and security. Even more when it comes to the information of 28 million children

Information Commissioner John Edwards

"