It is easier for me to intervene now, so the Minister can answer everything in one go. In two small amendments, there is a massive issue that needs to be addressed with great seriousness. The Minister referred to the Information Commissioner’s study on the interrelationship between data and the political process. I wonder whether her findings will be available before the Bill becomes law, because that will have a great impact. The other thing we must learn, as the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, said, is that it is often wise to look across the Atlantic to find out what is coming to us. There is a massive problem coming down the road concerning how data are used during the political process. On the one hand, there is the issue, referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, of political parties being mostly volunteers, trying their best to deal with complex laws. They must be protected as best they can. On the other side of the argument, there is a degree of sophistication in applying data to politics, which could become a threat to the democratic process. These are two small amendments, but they are an iceberg in terms of the problems that lie beneath them.
Data Protection Bill [HL]
Proceeding contribution from
Lord McNally
(Liberal Democrat)
in the House of Lords on Monday, 13 November 2017.
It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL)
and
Debate on bills on Data Protection Bill [HL].
About this proceeding contribution
Reference
785 c1819 Session
2017-19Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamberSubjects
Librarians' tools
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2019-12-05 12:25:11 +0000
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