United Kingdom: Announced Amendment to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill including data protection regulation

On 23 November 2023, the UK Parliament published its proposed amendments to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, including data protection regulation. The proposed amendments aim to empower the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with enhanced tools to combat benefit fraud. In particular, the amendments would enable the DWP to conduct routine checks on the bank accounts of benefit claimants, with access limited to essential information. The overarching goal is to detect and prevent fraud while ensuring privacy protection through targeted data access in cases indicative of potential fraud or error. Furthermore, the proposed amendments include a provision addressing cases of child suicide. In particular, the amendments introduce a data preservation process that mandates social media companies to retain pertinent personal data of a deceased child. This measure aims to facilitate investigations or inquests related to such incidents by ensuring the preservation of crucial information on social media platforms. Moreover, the proposed amendments establish that individuals with foreign convictions can have their biometrics retained indefinitely, paralleling the existing practice for individuals with UK convictions.