Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure proper governance of data-sharing initiatives across departments; and what plans they have to introduce additional safeguards to protect public data when working with private sector partners.

All departments must adhere to the UK data protection legislation, which requires data protection impact assessments, legally binding agreements and contracts, and privacy notices to ensure transparency and the protection of personal information. This requirement extends to data shared under the Digital Economy Act (DEA) Public Service Delivery power as outlined in the DEA Code of Practice. The register of information sharing agreements under the Digital Economy Act aims to support transparency.

To further reinforce these practices Government Digital Service is developing a trust framework for data sharing, which aims to align with public and stakeholder expectations, ensure compliance with UK data protection laws and best governance practices, and establish an accountable, standardised, secure, and transparent approach to the use of public data assets.