On Tuesday 13 May at 3.30pm, the House of Lords European Affairs Committee
will take evidence from
Sir MP, Minister of State for Data
Protection and Telecoms at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
(DSIT).
The evidence session is a follow-up to
the inquiry that the Committee conducted in 2024 into UK-EU data
adequacy, which concluded in the Autumn with an exchange of
letters with the new
Government.
The UK currently has data adequacy
status from the EU, which enables entities in the EU to transfer
data freely to the UK, but the status is due to expire in
2025.
In its letter published in
October last year, the Committee urged the Government to seek to retain data adequacy
status and warned that
businesses and organisations such as the NHS would be hit by
“significant” extra costs and red tape if the UK loses the right
to exchange citizens' personal data seamlessly with the EU. They
also warned of the risk of serious damage to UK's reputation as a
destination for international investment, and triggering a
decline in UK innovation.
The evidence session with Sir
Chris takes place as the Government's Data (Use and Access) Bill
returns to the Lords from the House of Commons on 12
May.
The Committee is likely to question
the Minister on issues including:
-
The data adequacy renewal process
with the EU so far, and the next
steps
-
The place of data adequacy renewal
in the Government's ‘reset' of relations with the
EU
-
The Government's view of data
adequacy in the context of its wider international data
protection policy
The session will take place in
Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster,
and can be watched live, or after the
meeting, on Parliamentlive.tv.
