My Lords, I thank the Minister for that response. I congratulate him on managing to pick up nearly all the questions and provide them with answers. He probably never thought that quite so many questions could be asked about a single SI, and there are a couple of areas where I think there is further inquiry to be made. This is a salutary lesson in how the SLSC really needs to get the information that it needs to scrutinise regulations, otherwise we all jump up and down and spend our evenings on regret Motions.
This has been a very useful debate. The record, and how the Minister unpacked and answered some of the questions, might be helpful for those who want to take advantage of the UK-US data bridge. It is a great illustration also as to why affirmative SIs, rather than negative ones, are actually rather useful. Why rely on me producing a regret Motion? Would not it have been better to have a proper affirmative procedure in this case, as this is a very important instrument? The Minister talked about its value, and, if it works, we will all agree.
I also very much appreciate the fact that there is a level of humility about this, in that the department is looking at its procedures and setting its house in order with a new regulatory policy process. We look forward, I am sure, to seeing how effective that will be in the future. When the Minister talks about fact sheets and the sensitive data aspects, the fact that the ICO is gearing itself on the complaints and redress side is appreciated as well.
7.15 pm
All this means that we need to continue to be vigilant about these kinds of data issues. When we look through Hansard, no doubt we will work out exactly which questions have been answered and which have not, but I am still not totally convinced that we are not dependent on the Schrems outcome. If the EU-US bridge falls away, I would have thought that the UK-US bridge also falls away. Legally, I cannot see any reason why our bridge should be maintained if Schrems manages to knock down the EU-US data bridge. I take huge reassurance from the fact that the Secretary of State will continue to monitor the data bridge in future.
Finally, the Minister definitely has not answered the question of what difference the new provisions in the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill will make, and why Section 17A of the Data Protection Act 2018 is being changed. What are the advantages? Does the Secretary of State get more powers? Is our personal data more vulnerable? Will we find our sensitive data winging its way across the Atlantic? Will it be not just the FTC, the Department of Transportation or the DoJ that get our data but other bodies? We need to know. We have many happy hours ahead debating the data protection Bill when it comes to this House, and I look forward to it. In the meantime, I beg leave to withdraw my Motion.