Draft Data Protection Act 2018 (Qualifying Competent Authorities) Regulations 2025

Sadik Al-Hassan Excerpts

Tuesday 9th September 2025 General Committees

[Sadik Al-Hassan (North Somerset) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy, and I congratulate the Minister on her appointment. The regulations are pivotal to ensuring that our data protection framework continues to meet the needs of public authorities and citizens alike. By designating certain bodies as qualifying competent authorities, we strengthen the capacity to manage and share data responsibly and securely in line with the principles of the 2018 Act.

In today’s digital age, Government bodies need absolute clarity about their roles, especially when processing personal data for law enforcement purposes. The regulations provide precise definitions that maintain our high data protection standards while ensuring compliance with UK GDPR. The regulations strike the right balance between enabling our public authorities to perform effectively, safeguarding citizens’ fundamental rights and protecting our wider national security against threats such as terrorism.

Controlled Drugs (Procedure for Specification) Bill

Sadik Al-Hassan Excerpts

Committee stage
Wednesday 25th June 2025 Public Bill Committees

[Cameron Thomas (Tewkesbury) (LD)]

I support the Bill in the context of my liberalism. For years, the Liberal Democrats have campaigned for better access to medicinal cannabis for those who rely on it to manage their symptoms. The current system is too restrictive and necessitates a more compassionate, patient-centred approach to ensure that nobody is left to suffer unnecessarily. The Government should investigate the merits of permitting general practice to prescribe cannabis-based products.

That said, this retired military police officer does not find his liberal values to be at odds with the Bill. In fact, the Bill increases protections for citizens from dangerous substances and simplifies and shortens the control systems set out in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

[Sadik Al-Hassan (North Somerset) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I welcome this Bill, which, in the wisdom of my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester, sheds light on a system that is not working well and proposes an appropriate fix. As a pharmacist, I am well aware of the problems we have with controlled drugs, and novel and designer drugs that are produced at speed pose a risk to patients. I believe this Bill will do exactly what it says on the tin and help us to control a growing problem. I thank my hon. Friend for bringing us here today.