The Data Use and Access Bill is not as boring as it sounds. The government claims that it could have a significant impact on various sectors, including the economy, healthcare, law enforcement, and infrastructure. By streamlining data access and use, the government estimates that it could generate £10bn in economic benefits.
In the healthcare sector, the bill would require all IT systems to share common data formats, allowing for real-time access to information about pre-existing conditions, appointments, or tests between different healthcare providers. This could potentially save up to 140,000 hours of NHS staff time annually.
For law enforcement, the bill would allow certain manual data tasks to be automated, giving officers more time to focus on catching criminals. By automating processes like logging personal information access, the police could gain an additional 1.5 million hours each year.
Infrastructure firms would also be required to upload data on underground assets to a digital register, reducing the number of accidental damages to buried assets and speeding up planning for construction projects.
Additionally, the bill allows for the creation of a digital register for births and deaths, as well as easier access to personal information. This could lead to improvements in energy use monitoring and shopping deals based on purchase history.
However, there are concerns about privacy and data protection. Privacy and digital rights campaigners warn that if the bill is not implemented correctly, it could lead to the misuse of personal data by the government or big tech firms. Questions about who will have access to sensitive data and how it will be protected need to be addressed.
Furthermore, there are worries about the automation of data protection tasks. Some argue that there should always be a “human in the loop” when making decisions about sharing personal data to ensure accountability and prevent abuse of power, especially within law enforcement.
Overall, while the Data Use and Access Bill has the potential to bring about positive changes in various sectors, it is essential for parliament to carefully consider the implications and ensure that the privacy and rights of individuals are protected throughout the process.