SIMPLIFYING LIVES
Certified providers
The upcoming Bill will certify digital identity providers according to government-approved rules, making it easier for people to know which digital identities they can trust. From 2025, a trust mark will be introduced, managed by the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), to signify that a service provider meets these guidelines.
To meet the proposed standards, digital identity providers must adhere to a strict trust framework outlining the rules for data privacy, security, and inclusivity. The framework ensures services avoid actions that could risk users’ sensitive data or violate privacy. For example:
- Providers are forbidden from profiling users for third-party marketing purposes or generating large datasets.
- Providers are required to confirm that users understand how their data is being shared, and each instance of data sharing must be made explicit to the user.
“Digital identity providers have been around for a decade, but have struggled with the commercial model,” commented David Reed, Chief Knowledge Officer at DataIQ. “Most of their user base has been in the public sector or to underpin credit referencing. The Bill assumes that commercial brands will be happy to yield their identity confirmation processes to third parties which is by no means certain.”
Smart Data schemes
The Data Bill will allow the Science and Technology Secretary and HM Treasury to develop a Smart Data Economy through regulations which will specify the scope of a new Smart Data scheme. Smart Data is the secure and user-centric portability of data, enabling individuals and businesses to share their information across multiple platforms and services to provide value with privacy.
These regulations include:
- Who is required to provide data.
- What data they are required to provide.
- How and when they must provide that data.
- How that data is secured and protected, including who authorises access to data.
Under the existing UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), individuals can obtain and reuse their personal data. Smart data takes goes even further by allowing consumers to request data about them be directly shared to authorised and regulated third parties, while establishing a supporting framework to ensure data security.
“There is clearly an appetite among consumers for data that tells them about how they live their lives, from Strava strides to Spotify spins. This creates a level of digital and data literacy that could help Smart Data expand. At the same time, it is constrained to the more digitally savvy and privileged segments of the population, which could prove to be a limitation,” said Reed.
Data security with a digital identity
A digital identity is a digital representation of a person or aspects of their identity, such as their age, nationality, or right to work. It allows individuals to prove these attributes without needing physical documents like passports or driving licenses which also provide additional information sets that are not needed for every task.
Currently, hundreds of thousands of UK residents already use digital identities for tasks like collecting parcels, proving their right to work, or securing housing. The Data Use and Access Bill aims to simplify identity verification using digital identities to make these day-to-day and essential processes faster and safer.
There are of course concerns when it comes to data security with the digital identities, but the aims of the Bill are to make digital identity tools more secure. Those that are certified under the new scheme are bound to strict guidelines, including restrictions on creating extensive datasets that could expose users’ personal data, to safeguard any information users share.
It is hoped that the digital identities will reduce the amount of personal data that is shared during routine tasks for businesses across the nation. One example would be to collect a parcel with a digital identity means only the data necessary for verification is shared, rather than unnecessary additional details including addresses, dates of birth, and other pieces of information.
Reed noted: “Government doesn’t have a great track record in this space as the recent problems with the eVisa system have shown. It is to be hoped this scheme works better!”
PUBLIC SERVICES
The Bill has set out that it is intended to transform the way data is utilised and managed within the public sector by introducing new mandatory standards for data handling. Through this, it is expected to improve the service delivery, administrative burdens, and processes of the public sector – particularly for the NHS and policing.
Standardised information management
For adult social healthcare, the Bill proposes standardised information management across all IT providers. There is currently an issue with fragmentation across numerous systems which adds unnecessary complexity to providing timely, accurate care. Communication between systems is one of the biggest challenges facing efficiency (not just in healthcare) and the suggested standardisation is set to release countless hours of time.
The new standards will ensure consistency with:
- Formatting
- Accessibility
- Real-time sharing
The medical history of any given patient will be readily available to authorised providers in the care network which will simplify and speed up informed clinical decisions, improving patient care and healthcare provider resource availability.
Reducing administrative requirements
It is predicted that up-to-date patient records as proposed by the Bill could reduce duplicate lab tests in healthcare by 8.8% and duplicate diagnostic tests by 10%, resulting in a healthcare cost saving of £65.4 million over the next decade. By reducing administrative tasks through the standardisation and operations put forward in the Bill, the NHS is predicted to save 140,000 hours for healthcare providers annually.
For other public services, such as policing, initial data methods put in place to protect against data misuse have proven ineffective and time-consuming. As an example, currently, every time an officer consults a police database for personal data, they must log the reason, date, time, and, if possible, the identity of all individuals accessing or receiving the data.
Under the Bill, by removing the need for officers to manually record the reason each time they access personal data, it is predicted an estimated 1.5 million hours of police time annually will become available. Furthermore, this change is expected to save taxpayers approximately £42.8 million per year.
“Automating data access logging should release a lot of time for public sector workers while maintaining transparency and explainability,” said Reed. “The digital footprint of users will be as discoverable and auditable as any other aspect of data, so it looks like a win-win.”
Organisations across the nation should consider following the standards set out in the Data Use and Access Bill to improve their own administrative efficiencies and embrace a new level of standardisation.
UK ECONOMY
Ultimately, the aim of the Data Use and Access Bill is to improve and strengthen the UK economy. With a projected £10 billion in growth over the next decade, it is pivotal that the proposed Smart Data powers and the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) come together to enhance data accessibility, increase consumer options, boost infrastructure safety, and foster innovation across various sectors.
Infrastructure safety and efficiency
One of the most important aspects of the Bill is the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) – a digital map of underground pipes and cables across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. NUR includes data from major water, energy, and telecommunications providers alongside local authorities and smaller service providers. The Bill’s provisions would mandate participation from all relevant asset owners, creating a comprehensive, unified view of the UK’s underground infrastructure.
Around 60,000 times each year there are accidental infrastructure strikes, which cost the economy £2.4 billion, and are a highly dangerous issue as it involves worker safety to rectify. NUAR is set to address this by reducing waiting times to just seconds by centralising the available data into a single accessible platform allowing for the rapid assessment and navigation of buried assets. Currently, teams must contact multiple asset owners to receive the relevant information which can take up to six days.
By enhancing the availability of infrastructure data, the UK economy is estimated to save £400 million per year through reduced roadwork delays, faster infrastructure repairs, and improved multi-provider coordination.
Additionally, the rapid data-sharing capabilities of NUAR should help reduce the likelihood of accidental infrastructure strikes, safeguarding workers and facilitating the construction of essential projects such as roads, railways, and housing developments.
Boosting innovation
The UK is currently positioning itself to be a leader in data innovation and has done so over the last couple of years, and this Bill aims to enhance this by strengthening data security while enhancing transparency and accessibility.
With the regulated Smart Data scheme, a secure framework will be provided for consumers and businesses to manage and share their data responsibly, fostering economic growth and innovation. Meanwhile, by mandating NUAR participation, safety and efficiency in infrastructure management is further enhanced.
Final remarks
Ultimately, the goal of the Data Use and Access Bill is to unlock data’s potential in the UK across numerous sectors, while enhancing the day-to-day lives of individuals. Consumers are being provided the tools to better control their own information, boost market competitiveness, and benefitting from improved infrastructure safety and maintenance.
“Government investment into infrastructure and setting the operating environment often pays off in ways that cannot be predicted at the outset,” said Reed. “The potential for data as an engine for growth has been tempting legislators since 2011 but has only been beneficial in the private sector to date. If the public sector makes a similar leap, that will make a big difference.”
Businesses can utilise these opportunities for new growth markets and can also benefit from the improved efficiencies that will be found throughout infrastructure and public services. This will, in turn, create a more robust economy for the UK on a regional, national, and international scale, as well as providing a stronger global standing in data innovation.
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