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

On 23 November 2023, the UK Parliament published its proposed amendments to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, including data protection authority governance. 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 personal data. 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. Moreover, the proposed amendments address the use of biometric data for national security enhancement. In particular, the amendments strengthen the authority of Counter Terrorism Police to retain the biometrics of individuals deemed a potential threat, particularly those provided by organizations such as Interpol.