back to article UK.gov: Snoop laws not 'significant' obstacle to EU data protection talks

The UK's Snooper's Charter should not be a "significant" obstacle to data protection negotiations with the European Union, the government has said. In a letter (PDF) to peers, digital minister Matthew Hancock reiterated that the UK was still aiming to gain an adequacy-plus model on data protection after the UK leaves the bloc …

  1. Pen-y-gors

    Should not?

    the government "is confident that UK national security legislation should not present a significant obstacle

    or to rephrase that

    the government "is desperately hoping that UK national security legislation won't present a show-stopper"

    Should not? Confident? Significant? Whatever happened to evidence and certainty?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Should not?

      Given the rate of U-turns over the UK's relationship to the EU, I expect the reverse to be formally announced early tomorrow.

    2. H in The Hague
      Joke

      Re: Should not?

      "Whatever happened to evidence and certainty?"

      Please refrain from using such unpatriotic, globalist, elitist, enemy-of-the-people Remoaner terms and report to the Maybot for strict correction.

    3. codejunky Silver badge

      Re: Should not?

      @ Pen-y-gors

      "Should not? Confident? Significant? Whatever happened to evidence and certainty?"

      There is no certainty with the EU. probably because so many different people think they speak for the EU.

    4. Ben Tasker

      Re: Should not?

      > Should not? Confident? Significant? Whatever happened to evidence and certainty?

      Evidence and certainty in these matters tends to come from experts, and apparently we've "had enough of experts"

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Should not?

      The investigatory powers act is not national security legislation. It is an authoritarian power grab that is in breach of U.K. law, EU law, and international treaty.

    6. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Should not?

      "Whatever happened to evidence and certainty?"

      You simply commission the evidence providers to get you the result that you know, with certainty, that you want. See PHE.

    7. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Joke

      "Should not? Confident? Significant? Whatever happened to evidence and certainty?"

      He's got all his appendages crossed and stroking his lucky rabbits foot fast enough to start a fire.

      What more do you want him to do?

    8. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      The right honourable Matthew Hancock MP?

      surely not A.K.A. "Matt Hancock" who features prominently on this inestimable list - https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=4510824

      Gotta watch those 'snooping' instincts, gotta follow (some) laws, sometimes?

      /satire (link provided for research purposes - of course we are not in any sense endorsing or promoting as true any of the specific individual allegations, which may well be groundless nonsense)

  2. Rono666

    As we are not leaving means naff all..

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yep, only need a few scandals for the Tories to call a new election after they decimated their majority.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Whoopsy - Front page of the i - Tory sex dossier published.

        I must be pisskick.

    2. codejunky Silver badge

      @ Rono666

      "As we are not leaving"

      'If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.' - Melchett

      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: @ Rono666

        "'If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.' - Melchett"

        The Leavers to a tee. You must have seen the light, Codejunky.

        1. codejunky Silver badge

          Re: @ Rono666

          @ Doctor Syntax

          I am mildly amused at all the upvotes and no downvotes and expect people are reading it in the way you describe. If that is the case it does lend more weight to my comment than pointing out the ignorance of "As we are not leaving" contrary to everything so far.

          I wondered how long this could go on before someone caused me to explain my response was to the comment section I quoted. It is an interesting common ground I think. Both sides able to look at that comment and apply it to those with a different conclusion.

        2. John Smith 19 Gold badge
          Unhappy

          "The Leavers to a tee."

          Indeed it just occurred to me.

          Brexiteers bang on about how "The people have spoken, the decision is made blah blah."

          Well the "decision" was made by the British people in 1975.

          So Brexiteers have b**ched on continuously about it for 42 years (through how many governments ?), until "The People" made the "right" (by their standards) choice.

          All the while incessantly whining about " We hate the EU. We can't do anything to change it.It's corrupt. It makes us do stuff. Blah, blah".

          I wonder how many of them have realized that even leaving the EU will not in fact bring The British Empire back into existence?

          1. codejunky Silver badge

            Re: "The Leavers to a tee."

            @ John Smith 19

            "Brexiteers bang on about how "The people have spoken, the decision is made blah blah.""

            God those idiots who think the EU vote was in 1975 when the EU didnt exist. Yada yada people spoke back then we shouldnt have a vote now. I understand it is just banging on.

            "Well the "decision" was made by the British people in 1975."

            And of course the remain crowd need to understand this. The vote concerning the EU took part during the existence of the EU not back in 1975! I am sure the remain crowd will accept the decision made by the British people concerning the EU. Wont they?

            "So Brexiteers have b**ched on continuously about it for 42 years (through how many governments ?), until "The People" made the "right" (by their standards) choice."

            And within the same 24 hours of the result the remainers bang on about it being the 'wrong' choice by their standards and are doing whatever they can to overthrow the result of the democratic vote undemocratically. Almost like they cant stand a democracy and want to dictate to 'The People'.

            "All the while incessantly whining about " We hate the EU. We can't do anything to change it.It's corrupt. It makes us do stuff. Blah, blah"."

            So glad the remainers aint incessantly whining (hope you can hear me over the noise).

            "I wonder how many of them have realized that even leaving the EU will not in fact bring The British Empire back into existence?"

            I dont know either. The remain desire of the old world EU which was designed for the cold war era is odd but their insistence that the only alternative is for the British Empire to be remade shows how out of date their mindset is. Hopefully they will realise that the world exists beyond the EU borders without thinking they must conquer or assimilate others into an old world style group.

            1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
              Unhappy

              Hopefully..realise..world exists beyond the EU without thinking they must conquer

              How sweet.

              Only the very young (and/or the very ignorant) can be so delusional.

              This breakdown of the results suggests the vast majority were either old codgers or Conservatives (or both?) So, no I think quite a lot of them were dreaming of an Empire on which the sun never set.

              You OTOH seem quite young. I think you're going to live a good long life.

              I do hope that you're as proud of your choices in 20-30 years as you seem to be now.

              1. codejunky Silver badge

                Re: Hopefully..realise..world exists beyond the EU without thinking they must conquer

                @ John Smith 19

                "Only the very young (and/or the very ignorant) can be so delusional."

                How cute but it doesnt change the fact that the world exists beyond the EU (if facts are delusional we have certainly entered the world of the very young and/or ignorant).

                "This breakdown of the results suggests the vast majority were either old codgers or Conservatives (or both?) So, no I think quite a lot of them were dreaming of an Empire on which the sun never set."

                So you take a breakdown of results and then dictate what their motives were. I am guessing you are neither older or conservative so you can freely insult them while feeling that shining light of nobility and wisdom you probably believe you have. Instead of accepting the varied arguments for brexit such as- economic, trade, democracy, sovereignty, law. All good reasons to argue leave even if you dont agree with them. But you keep telling yourself its all about dreams of an empire. But please stop telling us that was our motive because you just sound ignorant or in severe denial.

                "You OTOH seem quite young. I think you're going to live a good long life."

                Thank you. Certainly not a coffin dodger nor a student and I too hope I will be happy with the decision is 20-30yrs time. And if it turns out anything like the Euro vote (same poor arguments for it, then the world eurosceptic suddenly vanished when we were proved right) we might find it was a very good choice in less time than that. Either result would still prove unknown in 20-30yrs time (and less) but this way we are able to make our own choices and decisions. The other way we could be dragged down with the EU.

  3. Jess

    Because it really is in the interests of the EU to let us have our cake and eat it.

    Any data business would be insane to risk their business model by staying put and hoping that will be the case.

    I suspect if it gets down to no legally binding agreement 12 months away, they will relocate to stay within the EEA.

    1. nsld

      Already happening

      Will be no shortage of DC space in the UK in the coming years as anyone with half a brain has already started to move data relating to EU subjects into the mainland.

      What many people miss is that simply storing it outside the UK isn't enough, without an adequacy decision it won't be lawful for someone sitting in the UK to 'process' EU citizens data so the jobs will also move.

      From a risk perspective as current ICO rules allow for data transfers its easier to stick UK data subjects data in the EU and process it there than keep it here.

      One bonus will be that it makes it a lot harder for Kim Jong Rudd and the rest of the Nork wannabees to hoover up that info.

    2. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Unhappy

      "Because it really is in the interests of the EU to let us have our cake and eat it."

      Is that a question or a statement?

      The question mark makes quite a difference.

  4. SVV

    Aiming for Adequacy

    "digital minister Matthew Hancock reiterated that the UK was still aiming to gain an adequacy-plus model "

    Don't be too ambitious, eh? Just the absolute minimum required. As much snooping as possible and as little data protection as possible. That's the spirit. Take back control. And use it to control your own citizens.

  5. LegalAlien

    The "ICO's reputation" ... as the (deliberately) worst funded and most toothless data protection regulator in all 28 EU member states? Ah, yes, invaluable to the EU... they will really miss the unfair competition from UK on this... And yes, the EU has been sparring with USA over massive NatSec over-reach/mass surveillance... pretty sure this will no go well for the UK, but then again Brexiteers live in their own fantasy land.

  6. Teiwaz

    Snooper's Charter should not be a "significant" obstacle to data protection negotiations with the European Union, the government has said.

    But, surely that's not for the UK gov. alone to decide.

    And since we'll likely be continuing to pay (perhaps a lesser fee to the EU) and for no decision making rights - it's not the UK's place to decide anything.

    Though, as with all 'significant obstacles', money has been known to make the swelling go down...

  7. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Gimp

    The UK, wheree "unlimited broadband" means

    The capacity of the links between every phone service provider and ISP to GCHQ.

    You said you wanted "security."

    Well the best security is inside the cell of a maximum security prison.

    How's that feel?

  8. EnviableOne

    Its not just the IPA thats a problem, the Article 29 working party have at leats 5 issues with the UK implementation of the old Data protection directive, and that was before the DRIPA / IPA debacle. One of them is the FIVE EYES agreement and its opacity but details on the others are scarce

    So UK chance of an adequacy decision, let alone an adequacy-plus is far from certain.

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