255Provision of other information in connection with support services
(1)The Education and Skills Act 2008 (c. 25) is amended as follows.
(2)In section 69(1) (directions), after paragraph (a) insert—
“(aa)requiring the authority to secure that any person by whom such services are provided (whether the authority or any other person) provides such relevant information (within the meaning of section 76A) as the Secretary of State may require to—
(i)the Secretary of State, or
(ii)a person providing services to the Secretary of State under section 76A;”.
(3)After section 76 insert—
“76ASupply of information by Secretary of State or person providing services
(1)The Secretary of State may make arrangements with any other person for the holding and supply of information in connection with, or for the purposes of, the provision of services in pursuance of section 68 or 70(1)(b).
(2)In this section “relevant information”, in relation to a person by whom services are provided under section 68 or 70(1)(b), means information which—
(a)is obtained by a person involved in the provision of those services in, or in connection with, the provision of those services,
(b)relates to a person for whom those services are provided;
but does not include information provided under section 72 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.
(3)Relevant information may be supplied to—
(a)the Secretary of State, or
(b)a person providing services to the Secretary of State under this section.
(4)Information supplied under subsection (3) may be supplied to any person involved in the provision of services in pursuance of section 68 or 70(1)(b) for the purposes of the provision of those services.
(5)Except as provided by subsection (4), information supplied in reliance on subsection (3) must not be disclosed in such a way that the identity of the individual is disclosed to, or capable of being discovered by, the person to whom it is disclosed.
(6)Nothing in this section authorises the disclosure of any information in contravention of any provision of, or made under, this or any other Act (whenever passed or made) which prevents disclosure of the information.”