Angus Council’s education convener has defended a biometric identity system used for school meals, claiming the local authority has never received a complaint about it.
Peter Nield spoke in favour of the cashless system which involves the scanning of pupils’ fingerprints in the face of widespread human rights concerns over similar technology which is in use in schools across Scotland.
Mr Nield said the Angus system was valuable as it prevented pupils in receipt of free schools meals from being identified and allowed parents to keep tabs on what kind of food their children had purchased.
His comments come after Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown and civil rights lawyer Aamer Anwar spoke of their fears at such technology, claiming it constituted the introduction of “Big Brother by the back door.”
It followed a freedom of information request from Mr Brown’s party which showed biometric identity systems of some kind are used in 68 Scottish schools. A further 10 have the capacity for such technology, but do not yet use it.
Mr Anwar said he was worried about the storage of data involving pupils and who could potentially access it.
However, Mr Nield said, “Children in Angus cannot be identified. No one can have access to the system at all apart from the computer.Stigma”Angus is the only authority in Scotland which is increasing uptake of school meals and, while not all of it is down to the biometric system, we do know that there is a stigma attached to receiving free school meals. But the possibility of bullying is removed here because no one knows who receives free school meals apart from the office staff who credit their accounts.
“Parents can also be provided with a print-out of what their children have been buying.”
He added that since biometric technology was first piloted in Brechin High School in 2001, no parents had approached the council expressing concerns over civil liberties.
However, he said, “This system is not compulsory and everyone has the chance to opt out, although no one in Angus has as yet opted out.
“If people want to make comments about the security system they really need to come and have a look at it and how it has improved the uptake of school meals in Angus.”