Data (Use and Access) Act 2025

Clause 56 creates a framework for employers and unions to negotiate digital access to workplaces, with the Central Arbitration Committee able to impose an agreement if talks fail; the details will be set in secondary legislation after public consultation. It aims to reflect modern working patterns and avoid a two-tier system, while data protections apply and personal data must not be disclosed without consent. Digital access was added after a government consultation and Commons amendments, with the Government seeking further input during the ongoing consultation.

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 creates a broad framework for accessing and using customer and business data, including rules on data sharing, authorisation, dashboards and interface bodies; it also establishes a new Digital Verification Services system with a governing trust framework and public register, and creates the National Underground Asset Register to map street-level infrastructure. It updates data protection and privacy law (including changes to the UK GDPR) and ushers in a new Information Commission to replace the former ICO, alongside related measures on births/deaths registers, health information standards, smart meter licensing, and enforcement mechanisms.

The Lords' Amendment Paper lists proposed changes to Commons amendments on the Data (Use and Access) Bill, including new clauses aimed at increasing transparency around AI data inputs. It focuses on requiring disclosure of business data, copyright works and bot usage used to train AI models, plus enforcement provisions and a progress/draft-bill process. The Commons oppose these amendments on funding and other grounds and propose alternative changes, with the Lords proposing amendments in lieu (and insisting in some cases).

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch moves a Lords’ motion on the Data (Use and Access) Bill, asking the Lords to not insist on their own Amendment 49F and to accept the Commons’ Amendments 49P, 49Q, 49R, 49S and 49T in lieu, relating to Clause 137.

The Lords push amendments to require regulators to ensure transparency about the data and copyright works used to train AI models—mandating publication of business data, identification of works, bot disclosures, enforcement, plus a government progress report and a draft Bill—while the Commons object to funding implications and proposes alternative amendments tied to economic impact work; negotiations continue with in‑lieu proposals.