Commenting on the proposed Data Protection Bill, Dr Adam Marshall,
Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“Businesses up and down the country are already preparing for the
implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation
(GDPR) next year. Bringing these measures into domestic law now
will give businesses more certainty about the UK’s data
protection regime during the Brexit transition, but more
communication is needed to ensure that every company is aware of
the changes.
“Firms of every sector want to be sure that their trade with
suppliers and customers around Europe can continue without
interruption, which means that the long-term compatibility of UK
and EU data protection rules must be a priority.
“While consumers need assurance from business that any personal
data held will not be misused, businesses too need a helping hand
from government as these changes come into effect, particularly
those at the smaller end of the scale. This is a complex set of
changes, so firms must be helped to get them right – and no
small- or medium-sized business working hard to adapt to the new
regime should be hauled over the coals for unintentional mistakes
in the early days. We await further information when the Bill is
published later this year on whether the proposals meet these
tests.”
