Data Protection Legislative Framework

Tuesday 6th July 2010 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly)]

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, Lord McNally, has made the following written ministerial statement:

“Today I have issued a call for evidence on current data protection law to help inform the UK’s position on the forthcoming negotiations on a new comprehensive EU instrument for data protection, which are expected to commence in early 2011.

On 18 March 2010 the European Commission announced its intention to produce a proposal which would reform the European Data Protection Directive before the end of 2010. The call for evidence issued by the Government today will ensure that the UK can be fully informed ahead of negotiations on this reform.

The call for evidence seeks evidence about areas of the European Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC and the Data Protection Act 1998 that may be out of date or could be improved, and also those areas that are working well and should be retained. The Government are encouraging as many people as possible to respond to the call for evidence which will last for three months and is due to close on 6 October 2010.

At the same time as launching this call for evidence, the Government are publishing a provisional post-implementation review impact assessment of the Data Protection Act 1998, on which we would also welcome comments. The provisional post-implementation review impact assessment complements the call for evidence and publication of a full impact assessment is planned for the end of 2010.

Copies of the call for evidence paper and the provisional post-implementation review impact assessment will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Department’s website at www.justice.gov.uk.”