Terms of reference for a new review of information sharing

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23 November 2007

These are the terms of reference for a review of the scope of sharing of personal information and the protections that apply when personal information is shared in the public and private sectors.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice will publish a report in the first half of 2008.

The review will consider whether there should be any changes to the way the Data Protection Act 1998 operates in the UK and the options for implementing any such changes. It will include recommendations on the powers and sanctions available to the regulator and courts in the legislation governing data sharing and data protection. It will also make recommendations how data sharing policy should be developed in a way that ensures proper transparency, scrutiny and accountability. To inform its recommendations, the review panel will consult with:

  1. the devolved administrations
  2. the European Commission
  3. the academic and legal community and the media
  4. representatives of the IT community and the private sector
  5. a representative sample of government departments and agencies with an interest in data sharing and privacy
  6. other parties identified by the review team

The recommendations will seek to take account of technological advances and strike a balance that ensures appropriate privacy and other safeguards for individuals and society, while enabling sharing information to protect the public, increasing transparency, enhancing public service delivery as well as the need to minimise the burden on business.