Consultation: Data sharing powers for public authorities

Part 5 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 introduces new information-sharing powers to reduce debt owed to, or fraud against, the public sector.

To be able to use the information sharing powers, public authorities and bodies which provide services to public authorities in Scotland must be listed in schedule 7 of the act for the debt powers or schedule 8 for the fraud powers.

A listed public authority can only share data under these powers with other persons who are also listed in the relevant schedule.

The Scottish government intends to add Scottish public authorities with devolved functions (“Scottish Bodies”) to the schedules. Devolved functions are those which relate to matters which are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The UK and Welsh governments have already added UK, English and Welsh bodies to the schedules.

The Scottish ministers are considering adding to schedule 7 (debt powers) and schedule 8 (fraud powers), the Scottish Bodies listed in the consultation and illustrative draft legislation. Listing the Scottish Bodies does not amount to an undertaking that the Scottish ministers will add them to the schedules.

The Scottish government would like to know your views on the Scottish Bodies it is considering. It would also like to know if there are any other Scottish public authorities that, in your view, should be considered for inclusion in the schedules.

Respond to the consultation here