Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call for a surprise election has stalled the passage of legislation that would have made a significant impact on the United Kingdom’s emergent digital identity landscape. The “Data Protection and Digital Information Bill”, or “HL Bill 67”, had passed through the House of Commons, and through the first and second readings in the House of Lords. It has now stalled in the “Report stage”, in which the bill is considered by the whole House, and members can further scrutinize its content and suggest amendments.
When an election is called in the UK, all parliamentary business, including bills at any stage, is halted as Parliament is dissolved. For a bill at the Report stage in the House of Lords, that means the bill will not proceed any further in its current session. The detailed examination and consideration of amendments cease immediately. The bill effectively “falls,” meaning it is no longer active or under consideration.
After the election, if the bill is still deemed important by the new government, it must be reintroduced in the new parliamentary session, starting the legislative process from the beginning.
The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill is designed to regulate the processing of personal data, enhance digital verification services, and improve oversight of digital information practices in the UK. It introduces data protection principles and sets guidelines for automated decision-making, international data transfers, and biometric data retention. As such, it could significantly impact providers of digital ID platforms and services, such as the UK-based firm Yoti, whose digital identity platform has risen to prominence domestically and abroad.
In an online post, Yoti CEO Robin Tombs commented on the fall of the bill, expressing optimism that it could be revived in the next parliamentary session.
“Some important reusable #digitalID provisions (in part 4) will hopefully be reintroduced once the general election is over & Parliament reconvenes,” he wrote.
Part 4 of the bill aims to establish a framework for digital verification services (DVS), including a trust framework and a DVS register, ensuring that digital IDs are secure and reliable. It also mandates standards for storing information in users’ devices, regulating direct marketing communications, and notifying personal data breaches, and it includes provisions for recognizing EU and international trust services, promoting interoperability.
The UK’s surprise general election will take place on July 4.
Source: UK Parliament
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May 24, 2024 – by Alex Perala
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