Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions she had with the Secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport on the potential effect of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on Government data adequacy decisions; and if she will make a statement.

My department is working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as we negotiate data provisions in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Data provisions in FTAs including the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) are separate from, but complementary to, the UK’s adequacy process and international data protection frameworks.

The UK will conduct assessments of countries outside of the UK under an independent UK adequacy capability. These assessments ensure personal data is only transferred via an adequacy decision where countries provide high standards of personal data protection, so that UK citizens’ personal data can be transferred without further safeguards being necessary.