Data Security: UK Citizens
Debate between Baroness Gill and Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath
Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Lab)
The Government’s approach is to ensure that the UK has the right balance between access to the benefits of international data flows and carefully protecting both personal and non-personal data. This is underpinned by data protection law, UK security standards and established commercial rules.
Baroness Gill (Lab)
My Lords, given the evolving legal landscape surrounding transatlantic data flows and potential future changes to US surveillance laws, what contingency plans do the Government have in place, should the current adequacy regulation be challenged in court? Under what specific conditions would the UK suspend the agreement in order to protect citizens’ privacy?
Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Lab)
The Government take a balanced approach to this, ensuring that public sector systems are secure, resilient and effective while benefiting global innovation. The overarching point is that the Government remain committed to protecting UK citizens’ personal data and continuing to keep other countries’ obligations around personal data under careful review, with the Secretary of State for DCMS being satisfied at all times that the level of data protection afforded to the UK data subjects in a given country or territory is not materially lower than that of GDPR.