The government’s amendments to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDI) Bill,(1) tabled in the House of Commons on 23 November, did not receive proper scrutiny by MPs as there was only limited time available at the Report Stage. Opposition MPs raised concerns over this timetable, but the Bill nevertheless progressed to the House of Lords where it received its second reading on 19 December.

The new government proposals include many technical points but also new substance, for example, changes to the processing of Subject Access Requests. The government is usefully proposing that organisations only need to make a reasonable and proportionate search.