Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of EU GDPR on levels of regulation in the UK.

The Government is committed to high data protection standards, protecting privacy while enabling responsible use of data for innovation and growth. The UK and EU have granted mutual adequacy decisions facilitating free flows of personal data. This is important for UK organisations that may need to share data with partners, customers or suppliers in EU countries. Where UK organisations also process EU residents' data, EU data protection law may apply. The ICO publishes guidance (https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/advice-for-small-organisations/information-security/data-protection-and-the-eu/) to help businesses navigate these obligations. The EU is currently considering some changes to the EU GDPR, and we will monitor these developments carefully, particularly any impact on UK businesses.