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Data Sharing under the Digital Economy Act 2017

This Government is committed to transforming the delivery of public services, so that they are easier to use, joined-up and provide better value for money to the taxpayer. To this end, the Cabinet Office has today published the Government’s response to the public consultation on new data sharing regulations, which will help more people prove who they are online so that they can access the services they need simply and quickly.

From January to March 2023, the Government consulted on draft regulations to improve data sharing so that people may more easily access public services online. The regulations would create a new objective under the Digital Economy Act 2017 for this purpose, allowing controlled data sharing between a number of public bodies already specified in the Act and with four additional organisations: the Cabinet Office, the Department for Transport, the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, and the Disclosure and Barring Service. These public bodies either hold information that can be used to verify someone is who they say they are, and/or require the outcome of such checks in order to provide access to their services. The proposed legislation would enable data sharing between the specified organisations only for the purpose of helping someone confirm their identity, when they are requesting access to a government service online. All data sharing under the regulations would continue to comply with robust existing data protection legislation.

Every response has been read and the Government thanks those respondents who expressed their views through the consultation. The devolved administrations support the proposed regulations.

The Government is clear that there isn't public support for national identity cards in the UK and this is not something proposed in, or enabled by, this legislation. Where responses did engage with the specific consultation questions, they highlighted the wider potential benefits of the data sharing regulations, including to physical health and social well-being, and we will make a minor amendment on this basis. The Government has also proposed that the draft regulations would come into force 21 days after, rather than the day after, being approved by Parliament.

The UK Government intends to take forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows. I have asked that the Government response be deposited in the libraries of both Houses in Parliament and published on GOV.UK.