Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Lloyd of Effra on 5 January [HL12970], whether the responsibilities in the Digital Economy Act 2017 Codes of Practice have been met; and whether that single entity named is required to have a current registration with the ICO for Data Protection Act purposes.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Digital Economy Act 2017 requires all persons who are involved in disclosing or using information under the public service delivery, debt and fraud powers to have due regard to the Code of Practice for public authorities disclosing information under Chapters 1, 3 and 4 (Public Service Delivery, Debt and Fraud) of Part 5 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 in so far as they are relevant, when they disclose or use information under these powers.
It is also a legal requirement for many organisations including government bodies and agencies that process personal data, to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office in accordance with the Data Protection (Charges and Information) Regulations 2018 unless they are exempt.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased business rates on grassroots music venues; and what steps they intend to take in response to the open letter sent to the Prime Minister by the Music Venue Trust on 10 December.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Budget, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. Music venues are valued in the same way as any other class of non-domestic property, through applying the statutory and common law principles that apply across non-domestic rating.
Some properties, including in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, have seen their rateable values increased. This is in part because the last revaluation updated rateable values to align with market values at 1 April 2021 – during the COVID pandemic. This meant rateable values were lower due to the atypical economic situation the pandemic created. This latest revaluation reflects a post Covid world, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties.
To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Valuation Office Agency about valuations of grassroots music venues.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Budget, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. Music venues are valued in the same way as any other class of non-domestic property, through applying the statutory and common law principles that apply across non-domestic rating.
Some properties, including in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, have seen their rateable values increased. This is in part because the last revaluation updated rateable values to align with market values at 1 April 2021 – during the COVID pandemic. This meant rateable values were lower due to the atypical economic situation the pandemic created. This latest revaluation reflects a post Covid world, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties.
To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government (1) which public bodies are subject to the data sharing agreement under the Digital Economy Act 2017, (2) which public bodies have received data under the Digital Economy Act 2017, and (3) what checks they have performed on the accuracy of the entries added to the register of information sharing agreements.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Digital Economy Act 2017 (DEA) contains data sharing powers that allow specified authorities to share information, including personal data, for specific purposes. Anyone sharing information under Chapters 1- 4 of Part 5 of the DEA is required to have regard to the relevant Code of Practice when doing so. This states that those authorities, listed in schedules 4-8 and Chapter 2 of the DEA, should enter an information sharing agreement (ISA) when sharing data under these powers.
The codes of practice provide details to practitioners on how information sharing powers under the DEA must be operated. Those relating to public service delivery (PSD), debt and fraud and civil registration place a requirement on the Data Controller(s) to set out information about their ISA within a publicly available register.
The register, operated by Government Digital Service (GDS) and publicly available on GOV.UK, provides a central repository of all data shares made under the powers provided by Chapters 1 - 4 of Part 5 of the DEA. It is a key transparency measure which outlines details of each data share, including the bodies involved, why it is shared, for how long and the expected benefits.
The register currently contains 525 entries and 464 public bodies. It is available at https://www.digital-economy-act-register.data.gov.uk.
While GDS is responsible for maintaining the register, the DEA’s statutory Code of Practice makes clear that responsibility for the accuracy of register entries rests with the public authorities involved in each data share, except in relation to the debt and fraud provisions, where responsibility falls under the debt and fraud secretariat.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish draft regulations under the powers granted in section 6A of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 to set out new exemptions to the prohibition on storing or accessing information in terminal equipment under section 6(1); and what is the extent of the involvement of the Information Commissioner's Office in drafting those regulations.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is actively considering what exceptions could be made to regulation 6, and we shall update the House in due course.
Any regulations would be developed and drafted by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will publish recommendations for the government on this issue. The Government will consult the ICO and other interested stakeholders on the development of any regulations, as we are legally required to by the provisions in section 112(3) of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Information Commissioner's Office about the evidential basis for commercially viable models of contextual advertising that do not require user consent.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Throughout the project looking into new exemptions to regulation 6 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (described in previous answers HL12548), we have we regularly meet with the ICO to discuss the evidence they are gathering. This includes evidence from technical experts and industry representatives.
The ICO will make recommendations to the government next year about this matter and we will consider those recommendations and the evidence supporting them.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to allowing the use of pseudonymised data for personalised advertising, provided that data sharing is limited to processors, retained only for necessary periods, and subject to robust privacy safeguards.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As noted in the answer to HL12548, HL12549, HL12551, the Government is currently exploring options for additional exemptions to the cookie consent rules in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It will consider the Information Commisisoner’s Office’s recommendations in this area carefully in due course.
Officials have met with the Professional Publishers Association and other trade associations to discuss how this work could support online advertisers, whilst preserving high standards of privacy for web users. The government will undertake further engagement with relevant stakeholders to consider the impact and design of any new proposals before deciding how to proceed.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to meet the Professional Publishers Association to discuss the impact of the Information Commissioner's Office's proposed regulatory approach to online advertising on the publishing sector.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As noted in the answer to HL12548, HL12549, HL12551, the Government is currently exploring options for additional exemptions to the cookie consent rules in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It will consider the Information Commisisoner’s Office’s recommendations in this area carefully in due course.
Officials have met with the Professional Publishers Association and other trade associations to discuss how this work could support online advertisers, whilst preserving high standards of privacy for web users. The government will undertake further engagement with relevant stakeholders to consider the impact and design of any new proposals before deciding how to proceed.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that data protection regulation supports innovation and competitiveness in the UK's digital publishing and advertising markets.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As noted in the answer to HL12548, HL12549, HL12551, the Government is currently exploring options for additional exemptions to the cookie consent rules in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It will consider the Information Commisisoner’s Office’s recommendations in this area carefully in due course.
Officials have met with the Professional Publishers Association and other trade associations to discuss how this work could support online advertisers, whilst preserving high standards of privacy for web users. The government will undertake further engagement with relevant stakeholders to consider the impact and design of any new proposals before deciding how to proceed.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have asked the Information Commissioner's Office to assess the relative economic and privacy impacts of (1) contextual, and (2) personalised, advertising models.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As noted in the answer to HL12548, HL12549, HL12551, the Government is currently exploring options for additional exemptions to the cookie consent rules in the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It will consider the Information Commisisoner’s Office’s recommendations in this area carefully in due course.
Officials have met with the Professional Publishers Association and other trade associations to discuss how this work could support online advertisers, whilst preserving high standards of privacy for web users. The government will undertake further engagement with relevant stakeholders to consider the impact and design of any new proposals before deciding how to proceed.