Data (Use and Access) Bill [Lords]

Alan Mak Excerpts

Wednesday 7th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alan Mak (Havant) (Con)]

I thank the Secretary of State for allowing time for an Opposition response. I begin by thanking hon. and right hon. Members across the House for their contributions to this Bill over many months, and I thank officials in the Department across several Governments and officials in Parliament. May I thank the entire team on our Benches, but in particular my hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Dr Spencer) for his extremely hard work and our senior researcher Sophie Thorley?

The Conservatives left the Government with a data Bill that would have improved Britain’s position as a leading tech-enabled economy and society. However, in Labour’s hands, the Government have delivered only confusion and failure. A wide range of amendments have been tabled to Labour’s Bill, highlighting key issues that required both leadership and agility from the Government, but they have failed on each of those areas. On AI and copyright, they let down our content creators. On sex and gender, they let down women and girls. On social media safety, they let down our children. The last Conservative Government turned Britain into a leading tech power, and our original Bill built on those achievements. Labour’s Bill today takes the country backwards, and our country deserves so much better.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed.