Lord Stevenson of Balmacara

The ICO received 41,271 complaints from January to December 2024. In that same period, the ICO issued two monetary penalty notices under GDPR totalling £757,500 and 13 monetary penalty notices under Privacy and Digital Marketing Regulations, totalling £1,270,000.

Unlike an Ombudsman, the ICO does not take regulatory action on each case but uses the information to guide its strategic direction and ensure effective use of resources. When compliance issues are identified, the ICO often provides advice to improve information rights handling, leading to significant improvements.

Although DSIT acts as the ICO’s sponsor within government, it is an independent regulator and accountable to Parliament in how it carries out its duties.

The Data (Use and Access) Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on Thursday 6 February, introduces a new governance structure for the ICO – including a new statutory board - to bring it into line with regulatory best practice. The Bill also seeks to introduce new reporting requirements on the ICO, including annual metrics on its investigations, their outcomes and use of its powers. This will bring greater transparency and accountability.

Taxi and private hire vehicle policy is a devolved matter in all UK nations. The role the trade can play in providing flexible transport services, especially in rural areas, is recognised in Department for Transport guidance issued to licensing authorities in England.

The Rural Mobility Fund demand responsive transport (DRT) minibus pilot, currently underway in 14 different local authorities, is exploring whether DRT can provide a solution in rural and suburban areas, either alone or in conjunction with other services. A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation process is in place, consisting of a process evaluation and an impact evaluation.  The final process evaluation report is due next year.