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This was hosted by techUK with speakers including Sue Daley, Director of Technology & Innovation, techUK and co-chair of the National Data Strategy (NDS) Forum, and Phil Earl, Deputy Director, Data Strategy, Implementation and Evidence, DCMS. 

Introduction 

Over the past six months, the NDS Forum has played a key role in ensuring that a diverse range of perspectives beyond government and the public sector continue to inform the implementation of the NDS. Participants have:

• helped us gather input from stakeholders across the UK as part of the ‘Data: A New Direction’ consultation.

• run events showcasing the value of data and local best practice across the UK.

• helped the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) conduct and collate research into public attitudes towards data use, through the NDS Forum Trust in Data Working Group.

• supported the DCMS call for evidence to identify metrics that could be fed into the DS indicator suite.

• and explored how we can work together to harness the power of data to meet our net zero ambitions through two discussions under the net zero workplan.

Below is a readout from the session where Sue Daley, techUK and Phil Earl, DCMS reflected on the NDS Forum successes and set out the key priorities for 2022. 

The NDS Forum: the story so far

Phil Earl, DCMS thanked participants for being involved in the events that have taken place since the launch of the NDS Forum, and shared his perspective on some of the successes and highlights of the Forum’s various workstreams:

• Unlocking the power of data for everyone, everywhere: participants helped to facilitate events to showcase the value and power of data in local areas, such as Bright Data and Experian who hosted regional events to showcase innovative use cases of data. 

• Data reform: the DCMS consultation, Data: a new direction, which sets out proposals for reform to the UK’s data protection regime received nearly 3,000 responses. The NDS Forum organised over 40 stakeholder events which enabled a huge range of different perspectives to be shared on the proposed reform. 

• Trust in data: the CDEI has been undertaking an extensive programme of public engagement to understand the views of different segments of society and the public’s knowledge and perspectives of data. 

• Net zero: the NDS Forum has explored how to work together to harness the power of data to help achieve net zero. techUK, alongside the Minister for Media, Data, and Digital Infrastructure, Julia Lopez, DCMS hosted a discussion with data centre providers, and the Royal Society facilitated a workshop to showcase best practice initiatives, where data is being used to drive net zero. 

• Measuring the data ecosystem: Policy Connect helped DCMS convene a roundtable of stakeholders to feed into the DCMS call for evidence on the Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the NDS. 

Sue Daley, techUK invited four NDS Forum participants to give reflections on their work in support of the Forum’s 2021 plans:

• Eve Lugg, Policy Manager for Data, Policy Connect, provided an overview of the roundtable it convened in response to the DCMS call for evidence on the NDS indicator suite which will help track the progress of the National Data Strategy. 
  
  The roundtable enabled a diverse range of perspectives to be brought together and revealed how these views fit into the ambitions of the NDS, as well as cross-cutting concerns. A range of topics were covered in the session including data availability, responsible data use, productivity, and the digital transformation of the public sector. Policy Connect looks forward to seeing how these insights and findings will be turned into tangible outcomes. 

• June Brawner, Policy Advisor for Data, The Royal Society shared some thoughts on NDS Forum event on: ‘Unlocking the power of data and data-driven technologies to drive net zero. The session was chaired by Professor Dame Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, who is a fellow of the Royal Society and had three main aims:

  • Learn about the exciting work happening that is using data in innovative ways in pursuit of Net Zero

  • Identify the gaps or barriers currently preventing different sectors from making the most of data, and steps they are taking to overcome these, if applicable.

  • Connect with likeminded individuals who are interested in better understanding how they can utilise data to support Net Zero.

• There were three key learnings from the session, which included the need to:

  • Demonstrate where they exist, good data-sharing examples should be highlighted and shared. 

  • Incentivise, A long-term view reveals the cost of not sharing data. This should be communicated more clearly as a clear incentive in sharing data for net zero.

  • Implement the right environment to facilitate data sharing, such as through the setting of standards to enable interoperability, investment in SMEs, consistent ESG standards and regulation that can better accommodate digitised and data-enabled markets. 

• Katie Alpin, Head of Strategic Insight, Which? explored how Which? has been working to ensure that consumer voices are at the heart of policy discussions for reform to the UK’s data protection regime. A group of 22 consumers were convened to conduct an in-depth analysis of some of the more technical aspects of the DCMS data reform consultation, Data: a new direction. This included proposals on cookies and the use of AI to make solely automated decisions. The research highlighted three key findings:

  • Consumers appreciate the value that new technologies such as cookies can bring to their daily lives but had reservations on some aspects of their use such as third-party cookies, which participants felt should only be used with explicit consent. 

  • Consumers were comfortable with the use of cookie banners but felt there was a lack of clarity and consistency in how they are deployed.

  • On the use of AI, participants did not see any benefits from the proposal to remove Article 22 of the GDPR, which would remove the ability for consumers to challenge solely automated decisions.

• Emma Thomas, Head of Government and Public Affairs, Experian talked about the Unlocking the power of data for everyone everywhere event, which was hosted by Experian, and aimed to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to showcase how data is being used across the Midlands community. The session covered (1) the power of data for consumers in the Midlands community; (2) SME growth and fintech; (3) and innovation. 
  
  The team at Experian have prepared a policy paper which covers the three key outputs from the session and plan to host a follow up event in March 2022, exploring how personal data can be used to boost innovation, including for the development of AI and algorithms. To access this policy paper, please reach out to dani.dhiman@techuk.org 

2022 Workplans - what’s next and how to get involved in 2022

Phil Earl, DCMS, presented on the key priorities for the NDS Forum in the next six months and how to get involved. Full details of the work plans can be found here. 

To get involved in any of these work plans , please reach out to NDSForumsecretariat@dcms.gov.uk

Summary of insights from Q&A session

• Balancing innovation and public trust: Phil Earl, DCMS, reflected on the need to balance the potential benefits of increased data sharing with maintaining public trust. There is a need for more detailed exploration on what can be done to ensure everyone is comfortable with the sharing of data.

• Data is global: Phil Earl, DCMS, explored the international dimension of the NDS, such as the need for continued consideration of global approaches to data.  An underlying aim of the NDS is to make the UK a world-leader on debates around data, and we have made good progress in doing so through the UK’s G7 Presidency. 

• Getting connected: Phil Earl, DCMS, explained that the NDS is being delivered across multiple departments of Government and the NDS Forum can connect individuals with the right stakeholders across Government on data topics. 

To get involved in the NDS Forum, please reach out to: NDSForumsecretariat@dcms.gov.uk