On 28 June, the Ministry of Justice published a summary of the responses it received to its Call for Evidence on the Proposed EU Data Protection Legislative Framework. The document can be accessed here
There were 143 responses to the Call for Evidence, received from across the public, private and third sectors, consumer groups and members of the public.
Rights groups and members of the general public generally welcomed the strengthening of individuals’ rights and greater transparency in the processing of personal data. However, businesses and some public sector organisations expressed their concern about the possible additional burdens and unintended consequences stemming from the proposed Regulation.
Speaking about the call for evidence, Lord McNally (Minister of State for Justice) said:
‘I want to thank everyone who responded to our call for evidence and gave us such a broad range of views. It’s obvious that whilst there is a lot to welcome in the proposals, organisations and individuals want more clarity about what the changes could mean for them. I have always been clear that the costs and benefits of the Commission’s proposals need to be considered carefully, and the evidence we received from organisations will be invaluable in helping us to do this. But what has struck me in all the responses is the genuine wish to get the new data protection law right, to deliver legislation that will work for business, for government and – most important of all – for individuals.’
Negotiations are expected to continue in the EU until 2014. The Government proposes to use the information received in the call for evidence to persuade other EU Member States to agree a solution that ‘minimises unnecessary burdens whilst ensuring people’s data protection rights are upheld’.
