Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 13
The UK should work with allies to ensure global practice in frameworks designed to protect...
Conclusion
The UK should work with allies to ensure global practice in frameworks designed to protect data, and to prevent our adversaries exporting data from around the world to build the massive data sets needed to develop algorithms to automate surveillance systems, military systems and disinformation systems. We need to think about data as a national security asset, which should be subject to an appropriate regime of export controls. Placing greater controls on the collection, aggregation and access to data available to China is a good first step to eliminating an obvious national-security vulnerability.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that global challenges around data collection, aggregation and access are a national security liability, and that the upcoming International Technology Strategy will cover this area. However, they do not advocate export controls on data, instead preferring free flows of data where there is trust and appropriate protection.
Paragraph Reference:
13
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
3.1 The Government agrees with the Committee that global challenges such as those around data collection, aggregation and access are a national security liability. The upcoming International Technology Strategy includes a section on data as a key enabler of technologies and a priority for the Government internationally. 3.2 The National Data Strategy, National Cyber Strategy and Integrated Review set out our approach to address threats to UK data. The UK Government takes its responsibility seriously to ensure that data and its supporting infrastructure is secure and resilient. We are addressing the highest areas of risk, domestically and in collaboration with international partners. We expect all those collecting and processing data in the UK to comply with our privacy laws, including not permitting overseas flows of personal data where those rights may not be protected. Organisations which fail to comply may be investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office and where appropriate subject to enforcement action, including fines. 3.3 The UK Government is actively countering attempts by authoritarian governments to influence others on the collection and exploitation of data in ways counter to UK interests. response. Rather, the UK and allies such as Japan, Canada, the US and EU, advocate free flows of data where there is trust and appropriate protection of data. Availability of data enhances our national security capabilities, as well as our economic and technological strengths, our relationships with partners, and our ability to combat shared threats. 3.4 We continue to adapt to China’s growing presence—managing disagreements, defending our freedoms and cooperating where our interests align. As a result of the improvements to our resilience set out in the Integrated Review, we are able to engage China with confidence and remain open to Chinese trade and investment. The UK Government uses bilateral engagement opportunities with the Chinese Government to make the case against China’s restrictive data laws, call for clarity for UK businesses processing data in China, and make the case for a fair and open approach.