Data (Use and Access) Bill passes through Parliament and heads for royal assent
Parliament passed the Data (Use and Access) Bill (DUA Bill) on 11 June 2025. First introduced in October 2024, this passage concludes a protracted legislative process as a notable amount of legislative 'ping pong' (nine rounds of back-and-forth) took place between the two Houses. Central to these discussions was the contentious issue surrounding the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems. During the last debate on 11 June 2025, the House of Lords opted against insisting once more on its amendment, which would have required further government legislation on copyright infringement and transparency in AI. Instead, the peers accepted an amendment in lieu from the Commons, which mandates the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology to lay a progress statement before Parliament within six months of the DUA Bill’s enactment, outlining advancements on the review. The DUA Bill will now move forward for royal assent at a date yet to be confirmed.