The King’s Speech 2024 highlights plans for a Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, set to expand regulatory remits to provide protection to a higher number of digital services; and a Digital Information and Smart Data Bill, aiming to ensure the power of data is utilised to support growth, the government, and people’s lives.
Around cyber security, the speech acknowledges the vulnerability of essential services and the potential severity of cyber attack impacts, as recently demonstrated against both the NHS and the Ministry of Defence. A need is set out to “take swift action to address vulnerabilities and protect our digital economy to deliver growth”.
The planned UK-wide Bill aims to strengthen defences via number of “crucial updates to the legacy regulatory framework”, including expanding the remit of the regulation to protect more digital services and supply chains; mandating increased incident reporting to provide better data on cyber attacks and increase understanding of threats; and putting regulators on “a strong footing” to insure implementation of cyber safety measures, including potential cost recovery mechanisms and the provision of powers to “proactively investigate” potential weaknesses.
The Digital Information and Smart Data Bill, meanwhile, sets out to “enable new innovative uses of data”, including moving to an electronic system for the registration of births and deaths.
The Bill will see the establishment of digital verification services intended to support creation and adoption of “secure and trusted digital identity products and services”, and the set-up of smart date schemes, designed to securely share customer data upon their request with authorised third-party providers.
The government states that changes to the Digital Economy Act will assist the government in sharing data about businesses that use public services, and highlights in particular that information standards will be applied to IT suppliers in the health and social care system.
Additionally, scientific teams should be able to make “better use” of data for research with broader consent opportunities; a data preservation process will be established for use in situations where coroners believe it is necessary to investigate a child’s passing; and the Information Commissioner’s Office is to be “transformed into a more modern regulatory structure” with “new, stronger powers” and targeted reforms to data laws, to improve clarity around the development and deployment of new technologies.
Government on health and care: the wider trend
HTN examined Labour’s manifesto here following their election win to see what the new government has in store for the NHS.
Prior to the election, we explored a progress update on the Department of Health and Social Care’s medical technology strategy; the announcement of £10 million in funding from DHSC to support health tech companies in bringing innovations to the UK market; and a roadmap for “better adult social care data” for 2024 – 2028.
