Experts on the council have been selected from civil society, academia and industry, including Google, Mastercard and Microsoft. Their experiences cover a range of areas including patient healthcare, scientific research, artificial intelligence and finance.
The government said international data transfers underpin our everyday life and are the foundations for our most-used tech, from GPS navigation and smart devices to online banking. It believes removing barriers to data flows will mean digital services can be provided more reliably, cheaply and securely.
Julia Lopez, the data minister, said, “Realising the benefits of international data flows has never been more important. We want the UK to drive forward cutting-edge policies at home and overseas to ensure people, businesses and economies benefit from safe and secure data flows.
“We’re launching a new panel of global experts to help us achieve these aims and I will lead the first meeting so together we can deliver a world-leading and truly global data policy for the future.”
The launch of the council is part of the government’s ambitious National Data Strategy to harness the power of data to boost economic growth, create jobs and deliver new innovations for people and public services.
During its first meeting today, the council will discuss the global opportunities and challenges for international transfers and how the UK can be a global leader in removing barriers to cross-border data flows. It will continue to meet quarterly to promote greater trust in sharing personal data for law enforcement and national security purposes.