Data Security: UK Citizens
Debate between Lord Mackinlay of Richborough and Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath
Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Lab)
Risks linked to technology suppliers are managed through established security and resilience processes. Decisions in these areas are informed by evidence on security, reliability and long-term resilience. The Government seek to balance the benefits of secure international data flows with our high standards of personal data protection. We continue to monitor developments relevant to the US adequacy decision and to engage with international partners to ensure that our standards continue to be met.
Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Con)
My Lords, I have long been concerned about the internet of things, especially the internet of things that we tend to buy on eBay or Temu or one of those predominantly Chinese importation agents. How can we be sure that there are not data flows going on, particularly with the firmware updates that are regular with many internet of things items? Do the Government have any strategy to look at this? I can only imagine that it is down to local councils to manage importation of goods at source—and I would hazard a guess that it is perhaps beyond them.
Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath (Lab)
DCMS aims to facilitate the flow of data to places that have high data protection standards, and will continue to monitor the threats to UK personal data. On the matter of other jurisdictions, including China, in determining where UK data can flow, we consider the risk to UK data subjects rather than jurisdiction.