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A survey of Local Education Authorities (LEAs) discovered 285 schools regularly fingerprint pupils and store their biometric details on record, adding the real figure could be higher.

Despite this, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has not issued any guidance on when and how biometric data should be collected and stored.

Only a quarter of LEAs have any guidance available and in the vast majority of cases do not know if parental consent was given Cheap Airplane Tickets to collect fingerprints.

Lib Dem education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said: "These figures confirm an extremely worrying situation where schools are fingerprinting pupils without any guidance on whether it is legal to do so.

"Insecure school computers holding precious unique personal information are a gift to identity thieves."

Schools in Alan Johnson's Hull constituency, as well as John Prescott's neighbouring seat and that of former education minister Cheap Airplane Tickets David Miliband, have all confirmed pupil fingerprinting.

"This is happening right under Alan Johnson's nose and he still refuses to act," Ms Teather said.

"An awful lot of people are washing their hands of responsibility while this practice spreads unregulated."

The DfES countered it is for individual schools to decide if they collect biometric data, but confirmed it would Cheap Airplane Tickets shortly be issuing guidance to all schools on best practice when taking and storing such details.