Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many automated decision-making systems are currently used by the Home Office to assist with making decisions that affect people’s legal rights or entitlements; and how many of those have publicly available (1) equality impact assessments, and (2) data protection impact assessments.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
“Assisting automated decision-making” is a broad term covering a large array of systems and processes, and the department does not keep a specific record of all systems that could fall within such a definition for this purpose.
The Home Office has well established processes for completing Equality Impact Assessments and Data Protection Impact Assessments to ensure data processing is lawful, necessary, and proportionate.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government further to the six algorithmic transparency reports published under the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard, how many automated decision-making tools are currently used by public authorities that have not submitted reports under the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard; and what steps they are taking, or intend to take, to increase compliance with that Standard.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The government has made transparency around automated decision-making a priority through the publication of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS).
The ATRS is a maturing standard which is being progressively promoted and adopted across the public sector. It is still evolving alongside policy thinking and government understanding of the complexities, scope, and risks around its use. Enshrining the Standard into law at this point of maturity might hinder the ability to ensure it remains relevant in a rapidly developing technology field. We remain committed to reevaluating our position on legislative change in the future, once the policy and the Standard have matured further.
While the government currently has no comprehensive view of the full range of automated decision-making tools currently used by public authorities, several steps have been taken to increase compliance with the Standard in the absence of legislation. The ATRS has been endorsed by the government’s Data Standards Authority. Since its publication, it has been piloted with a variety of public sector organisations across the UK and the published records can be openly accessed via GOV.UK. It is currently being rolled out more widely across the public sector with a view to embedding it into internal governance processes and increasing compliance.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their White Paper A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation, published on 29 March, and following the introduction of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard, what assessment they have made of the case for statutory transparency obligations for public sector use of automated decision-making.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The government has made transparency around automated decision-making a priority through the publication of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS).
The ATRS is a maturing standard which is being progressively promoted and adopted across the public sector. It is still evolving alongside policy thinking and government understanding of the complexities, scope, and risks around its use. Enshrining the Standard into law at this point of maturity might hinder the ability to ensure it remains relevant in a rapidly developing technology field. We remain committed to reevaluating our position on legislative change in the future, once the policy and the Standard have matured further.
While the government currently has no comprehensive view of the full range of automated decision-making tools currently used by public authorities, several steps have been taken to increase compliance with the Standard in the absence of legislation. The ATRS has been endorsed by the government’s Data Standards Authority. Since its publication, it has been piloted with a variety of public sector organisations across the UK and the published records can be openly accessed via GOV.UK. It is currently being rolled out more widely across the public sector with a view to embedding it into internal governance processes and increasing compliance.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the link between (1) their ability to deliver the Life Sciences Vision, including the ambitions to grow the life sciences sector, and (2) the rebates imposed on companies through the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure we deliver the Life Sciences Vision. Supporting the life sciences industry and future innovation is an objective of the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access (VPAS), and DSIT is working with DHSC to understand how VPAS has impacted investment and innovation in the UK. The Government has considered in broad terms the link between volume-based rebate payments and various kinds of investment in our Impact Assessment of updates to the Statutory Scheme for branded medicines pricing, which operates alongside VPAS.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many automated decision-making systems are currently used by the Department of Work and Pensions (partially or wholly) to make decisions that affect people’s legal rights or entitlements; and how many of those have publicly available (1) equality impact assessments, and (2) data protection impact assessments.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to PQ 187258 in relation to automated decision making systems in use by DWP.
The department has robust processes to ensure ethical use and impact of data is considered, which includes Equality Impact Assessments and Data Protection Impact Assessments for large-scale transformative initiatives that involve personal data, aligned with data-ethics frameworks, codes of practice, and working principles for analytical communities within the department that work with personal data.
However, we currently have no plans to publish further details of these services.
The DWP’s Personal Information Charter (PIC) ensures that its customers are aware of the DWP’s use of automated decision making.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 2 March (HL5901), and the Written Statement by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 May (HLWS788), whether the sharing of identity information in bulk would be lawful under the text of the statutory instrument as consulted on; and whether, and if so where, the published consultation response confirms whether changes have been made to prohibit bulk sharing following the consultation.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The statutory instrument, as consulted on, is an enabling instrument that will make it easier for people to prove who they are when accessing government services online. The draft regulations only allow specified public bodies to share data when an individual chooses to prove their identity online in order to access public services digitally.
As a specified objective under section 35 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 (the Act), the data sharing power would sit within the tightly constrained data sharing framework of the Act. Data sharing must be carried out with regard to the Act’s Code of Practice (the Code), which has been approved by Parliament. Any public body sharing information under Chapters 1, 3 and 4 of Part 5 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 is required to have regard to this Code when doing so.
Under the Code's data sharing principles, public bodies sharing information under the powers are required to minimise the amount of data shared, and ensure this is the minimum required for the purpose of achieving the specified objective, using methods which avoid unnecessarily sharing or copying of large amounts of personal information. Failure to have regard to the Code can result in a public authority or organisation losing the ability to disclose, receive and use information under the powers.
Due to the carefully defined data sharing power set out in the statutory instrument, and the rigorous data protection safeguards in place under the Act and Code, no changes have been made to the draft statutory instrument regarding “bulk sharing”.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government why discussions have been held with major online marketplaces on how to tackle unsafe products, such as toys, being sold via third-party sellers in the UK.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Ministers in this Department held a roundtable meeting with a number of online marketplaces on 24th April, demanding they take more action to keep unsafe products off their platforms. In addition, through the Office for Product Safety and Standards, government speaks regularly and directly to online marketplaces to tackle the availability of non-compliant products sold online, requiring recalls and takedowns and, where necessary, taking enforcement action to prevent unsafe products from being made available to UK consumers.
Additionally, the Government will shortly publish a consultation on the Product Safety Review which makes proposals for a more agile approach to deal with the changing world of commerce including online sales.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen the powers of the Office of Product Safety and Standards so it can issue legally binding obligations for online marketplaces to monitor the safety of products offered for sale on their websites.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Existing product safety legislation places obligations on manufacturers, importers and distributors to ensure that consumer products are safe before they are placed on the UK market, including products sold online. This legislation also provides the necessary powers to hold manufacturers, importers and distributors to account in exercising their responsibilities.
The government’s Product Safety Review is considering concerns about the sale of unsafe products online, and a consultation, including proposals to examine existing enforcement powers, is being finalised for publication.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Office of Product Safety and Standards's powers to take enforcement action against online marketplaces on behalf of consumers.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Existing product safety legislation places obligations on manufacturers, importers and distributors to ensure that consumer products are safe before they are placed on the UK market, including products sold online. This legislation also provides the necessary powers to hold manufacturers, importers and distributors to account in exercising their responsibilities.
The government’s Product Safety Review is considering concerns about the sale of unsafe products online, and a consultation, including proposals to examine existing enforcement powers, is being finalised for publication.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Viscount Camrose on 5 April (HL6987, HL6988, HL6989 and HL6990), what communications BT customers will receive during the migration to Digital Voice; how the installation process and equipment will be deployed; and whether there will be planned engineer visits for customers that either do not have any technical experience to install equipment or are unable to.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In April, BT announced the expansion of its trials of Digital Voice with a small group of customers, extending beyond its pilot schemes in Salisbury in the South West, and Mildenhall in Suffolk. This expansion group will be made up of lower usage landline customers who already have a full fibre broadband connection. These customers will be contacted four weeks in advance to help ensure they’re ready to migrate to Digital Voice. This will be followed by further communication ahead of their switchover date. These will be sent out via letter, postcards and text messages and will include all of the information they need to make the switch, including how to set up their phone on the day of the switch. For most customers, the switch will consist of simply connecting a handset to a router rather than the phone socket on the wall.
BT has engaged with a broad range of external stakeholders as part of its Digital Voice migration programme. The Digital Voice Advisory Group (DVAG) has advised BT on how best to support and engage with customers who will require additional support to migrate to Digital Voice. Members of the DVAG include representative groups and charities such as Age UK, Department of Health and Social Care, Independent Age, Rural Services Network, Silver Voices and Which?. BT have also invited other organisations to attend meetings on an ad hoc basis.
BT has engaged with local authorities in a number of areas related to Digital Voice, although no local authorities are formal members of DVAG. BT is working with local authorities via industry working groups to discuss issues such as telecare and frequently speaks to the Local Government Association about Digital Voice.
In the pilot areas of Salisbury and Mildenhall, Communication Providers have cultivated working relationships with Wiltshire and Suffolk Councils to support the migration and related engagement activity. Communication Providers will replicate this approach when the time comes to migrate customers on a regional basis, working closely with other local authorities across the country to ensure the regional migration is as effective as possible.