GovWire

From January to March 2023, the Cabinet Office consulted on draft regulations to help more people prove who they are online.

The proposed regulations would create a new objective under the Digital Economy Act 2017, allowing controlled data sharing between a number of public bodies already specified in the act and with 4 additional organisations:

• Cabinet Office
• Department for Transport
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Disclosure and Barring Service.

We received 66,233 responses during the consultation period. The government thanks all those who took the time and effort to respond to the consultation, and for the contributions received.

The government is clear that there isnt public support for national identity cards in the UK and this is not something proposed in, or enabled by, this legislation.

Where responses did engage with the specific consultation questions, they highlighted the wider potential benefits of the data sharing regulations, including to physical health and social wellbeing, and we will make a minor amendment on this basis. The government has also proposed that the draft regulations would come into force 21 days after, rather than the day after, being approved by Parliament.

The UK government intends to take forward legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.