UK government lobbies for a general DP Directive

Giving evidence on 17 September to the House of Commons Justice Select Committee on the EU Commission's data protection proposals, Lord McNally, Secretary of State, made it clear that the government wants to see a Directive instead of a directly applicable Regulation.

“We expect the final instrument to be very different whether it will be a Directive or a Regulation,” McNally said. “We are not negotiating for a failure. “ He said that the Commission has an ambitious timescale for completing the negotiations. “We are negotiating for results, not to stay within the timetable.”

Lord McNally's data protection portfolio will be given to Helen Grant as part of a wider redistribution of policy areas within the Ministry of Justice. Lord McNally will remain responsible for Freedom of information, human rights and civil liberties.

Read more about the UK position with regard to the EU Data Protection draft Regulation in the next Privacy Laws & Business Report.