Schools - religious observance and religious and moral education: consultation

Education Reform Directorate – Privacy Notice

Who we are

We are the Curriculum and Qualifications Division, within the Education Reform Directorate of Scottish Government. Our head office is located at Area 2B North, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.

Why we need your personal information?

We are gathering information and views on what the positive and/or negative effects of the suggested changes might be. We are also gathering information and views about how the right to withdraw from religious observance and religious and moral education in schools currently works in practice. This information will help us to plan the next stage of this work.

Personal Information is anything that can identify you in some way. It can include your name, e-mail or postal address, and your place within the education system (e.g. if you are a parent/carer, pupil or teacher). If you respond to this consultation, we will collect

• Your name, address (e-mail or postal)
• Your phone number
• Your place within the education system e.g. if you are currently a parent/carer of a school aged child, pupil or teacher
• If you are responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation
• Any other information you choose to provide in your answers to the consultation questions, for example about your religion or beliefs

Responses to all personal information questions are voluntary, and you can choose how much personal information to include.

Collecting email addresses is necessary for submitting responses and allows you to access and change your responses. Collecting addresses and telephone numbers means we can contact respondents again, but you do not have to give these details.

Some personal information is called ‘special category data’ as it is more important or sensitive. Information about your religion is ‘special category data’. This consultation is asking questions about religious observance and religious education in schools and where pupils might be withdrawn from this by their parent/carer. We do not specifically ask for special category data as part of this consultation. It is up to you whether this is something you want to include if you feel it is relevant. All special category data is kept safe and secure.

What is our lawful basis?

When we use any of your personal information, we have to have a legal reason for using it. The legal reason we are using is ‘Public Task’. This means that we are carrying out this consultation in the public interest.

(Article 6 (1) (e) Public Task, carried out in the public interest)

When we ask for special category personal information, we must have another legal reason for doing so which is called a ‘condition’. For this consultation, the condition is statutory and government purposes.

(Article 9 (2) (g) Statutory and government purposes)

What we do with your data

You can respond to this consultation through Citizen Space, by email or by letter. Only the information required for the consultation will be used. Any personal information will be deleted at the earliest possible opportunity – unless you have given us permission to contact you again about the consultation.

All responses to the consultation will be analysed. This will be done by an independent third party. Analysis from the responses will be used to create a report for publication, and to advise Scottish Ministers.

Responses will be published anonymously, unless you have specifically given permission for your name to be included. The government will consider the range of views provided and use these to draft legislation to be brought forward to the Scottish Parliament.

How long is your data kept

We only keep your personal information for the minimum amount of time necessary. We will delete any personal information, such as email addresses, postal addresses, and any other information which could identify you within 12 months of the consultation closing, unless further permission has been granted.

What are your rights

You can ask for a copy of any personal information that we have about you. This is called a ‘Subject Access Request’.

You also have the right to ask us to change any information that is wrong, for example if you update your email address. You can do this by emailing ROandRME@gov.scot

Please contact us at dpa@gov.scot if you wish to make a request or contact our Central Enquiries Unit on 0300 244 4000.

To find out more about the rights you have over your personal data, please visit the ICO website Your data matters | ICO

Complaints If you have concerns about the way we process and handle your personal information, in the first instance you should raise your concerns with our Data Protection Officer by email to DataProtectionOfficer@gov.scot

If you feel that your data has been collected or processed unlawfully, you have the right to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office:

The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk
You can also report any concerns online