Data (Use and Access) Bill CCLM: motion to insist Commons Amendment 52

Parliament voted on 14 May 2025 to insist on Commons Amendment 52 to the Data (Use and Access) Bill, rejecting the House of Lords' attempt to remove or modify that provision. The motion passed by 366 votes to 98, with the government's position prevailing comfortably. The vote took place during the "ping-pong" stage of the Bill, the process by which the two Houses of Parliament exchange amendments until they reach agreement. Amendment 52 expands the powers available to government or institutions to access and use data. The Lords had objected to this expansion, raising concerns about data privacy and the scope of surveillance or data-sharing powers. By insisting on the amendment, the Commons confirmed its intention to retain these wider data access provisions as part of the final legislation. The practical effect is that, if the Bill passes in this form, bodies covered by the legislation will have broader legal authority to access or share data than existed under the original text. The vote divided sharply along party lines. Labour MPs, including those sitting under the Labour and Co-operative Party label, voted unanimously in favour, as did the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party, and most smaller groupings. Conservative MPs voted unanimously against, joined by all seven Reform UK members present and two independents. There were no notable cross-party rebels on the government side. This division sits within a wider legislative contest over the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which saw repeated exchanges between the Commons and Lords throughout May and June 2025 on related provisions, including disputes over Lords Amendments 43B, 49B, 49D, and 49F.