To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make a statement on the Government’s plans to increase data-sharing across Government; and whether the Government plans to amend (a) the Data Protection Act 1998 and (b) other legislation to facilitate this. (158190)

As part of the Government’s Service Transformation Agreement the Ministry of Justice will lead a cross-government programme to deliver a package of measures over the next three to five years to tackle crime and terrorism, improve personalised public services, increase public safety and tackle social exclusion through information-sharing while maintaining openness and respect for citizens’ privacy and access rights. No legislative changes are being considered at this stage.