From the press release (pdf) from the Information Commissioner’s Office:
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has taken regulatory action against the University of Manchester following a breach of the Data Protection Act.
The personal records of over 1,700 students, including information on some students’ disabilities, were published when a member of the university staff had unauthorised access to the information. The staff member emailed the information as an attachment to 469 other students.
The University of Manchester has signed a formal undertaking outlining that it will process personal information in line with the Data Protection Act. The university will ensure all its staff have adequate training to prevent the inappropriate transfer of information and take all reasonable measures to safeguard personal data from accidental loss or destruction.