Ummmm – in a word, no….
Last week Secretary of State Michelle Donelan brought the Data Protection and Digital Information (DPDI) Bill back into the House of Commons to secure an extension. Its expiration has now been extended by 280 days, setting a new deadline of December 12, 2024. This extension was critical; without it, the bill faced lapsing on March 8, 12 months after its initial presentation.
Following a second reading before Christmas, the DPDI Bill will now make its way through the House of Lords. However, the timeframe for this phase remains a subject of much speculation among political and data circles – particularly with an election looming.
One of the more formidable tasks confronting the Lords is the examination of 240 last-minute amendments introduced in November. These amendments, endorsed in a rapid succession, prompted Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant to advocate for the Bill’s re-commitment to a public committee, highlighting the impracticality of thorough scrutiny within such a constrained timeframe.
The DMA remains supportive, highlighting the Bill’s departure from GDPR in several key areas, including the definition of personal data, the threshold for Subject Access Requests, and the introduction of a privacy management programme, among others.
So, in summary, whilst an extension has been secured, we’re still no closer to a final resolution. If it doesn’t get ratified before an election it will become the responsibility of the new Government (irrespective of party) to decide on what happens next… watch this space.
