On Thursday 14th October, Policy Connect held a roundtable event to help the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) engage with a diverse range of organisations and individuals on the recent consultation Data: a new direction. Following the event, Eve Lugg, Policy Manager for Data attended a roundtable with Julia Lopez MP, Minister of State for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure in attendance to provide feedback on key findings from the session. 

The consultation marks the first step from government to deliver on mission 2 of the National Data Strategy (NDS). The proposals aim to create an ambitious, pro-growth and innovation-friendly data protection regime that underpins the trustworthy use of data. 

The roundtable hosted by Policy Connect aimed to discuss the consultation on reforms to the UK’s data regime with a specific focus on responsible innovation and the possible reform or removal of article 22. The event was chaired by Eve Lugg, Policy Manager of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Data Analytics, who facilitated the discussion on various topics including the following:

•    The potential issues with the removal of article 22, including specifically the loss of public trust. Potential discriminatory impacts of removing article 22 were also discussed. 
•    The need for greater clarity and guidance around article 22 rather than reforming or removing. 
•    Accessing the right data sets to develop AI effectively and accurately.
•    Involving citizens in the development of AI and ask what the public wants and expects from AI systems.
•    Whether the current definition of Scientific Research is suitable. 
Outputs 

On Wednesday 3rd November, Eve attended a roundtable with the Minister in attendance. Eve provided feedback on key themes from the session and specific recommendations to improve the UK’s data regime to be more transparent, clearer in its definitions and enabling of responsible innovation.  

Policy Connect will also use the key findings from the event to make a formal submission to the consultation.

If your organisation will be making a submission to the consultation and you would like to discuss this or the wider work of the APGDA please get in contact with eve.lugg [at] policyconnect.org.uk