The letter from the Rt Hon Nadine Dorries and the member regulators of the DRCF (the Competition and Markets Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office and the Office of Communications), sets out the Government’s priorities for the digital regulatory landscape, building on the vision outlined in its Plan for Digital Regulation (see here). It also identifies policy areas where the Government sees opportunities for collaboration with the DRCF.

Ms Dorries writes:

• joining up the regulatory landscape: as innovations in technology continue to defy traditional definitions and blur regulatory boundaries, closer coordination will be needed across the regulatory landscape, e.g., to enable effective data sharing across sectors by intermediaries or to deal with the cross-cutting challenges of digitised sectors, such as online advertising or gambling; sharing expertise, developing common capabilities, maximising efficiencies in the way regulators operate, and minimising unnecessary burdens on business will be paramount; Ms Dorries requests an update on how the DRCF intends to deepen and expand this critical engagement;
• flexible and innovative approach to regulation engagement and transparency: ensuring expertise underpins the regulatory approach will be vital to success; respondents to the Government’s consultation requested more clarity on how the DRCF members work together; Ms Dorries requests an update from the DRCF on how it intends to engage and leverage insights from industry, consumers, civil society, academia and Parliament through its 2022/23 workplan;
• coordination on horizon scanning: the DRCF’s technology horizon scanning programme has a vital role to play in ensuring regulation is flexible and up to date; Ms Dorries requests an update on the insights that the DRCF has already secured through this programme and on what the DRCF thinks are the greatest opportunities emerging from innovation related to Web3, how the public sector might best support innovation in this area and what regulatory issues will need to be considered; Ms Dorries also wants to understand how the DRCF proposes to support the Government in identifying the key regulatory questions it will face in future years; and
• cross-cutting policy priorities: to ensure an effective partnership with the DRCF, Ms Dorries wants to understand whether there are opportunities for collaboration in: AI governance, online advertising, supporting implementation of the National Data Strategy (e.g., in relation to data availability) and ensuring cooperation and coherent regulatory approaches on online safety, data and competition policy.

To read the correspondence in full, click here.