The Digital Economy Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) (Northern Ireland) and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2026

The Digital Economy Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) (Northern Ireland) and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2026

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The Digital Economy Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) (Northern Ireland) and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2026
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UK Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 126 (C. 12)
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Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 126 (C. 12)
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
The Digital Economy Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) (Northern Ireland) and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2026
Made
11th February 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by
section 118

(4)
of the
Digital Economy Act 2017
(
1
) and
section 142

(1)
of the
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
(
2
).
Citation and interpretation
1.
—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Digital Economy Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) (Northern Ireland) and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2026.
(2) In these Regulations—
“
the 2017 Act
” means the
Digital Economy Act 2017
;
“
the 2025 Act
” means the
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
.
Provisions of
the 2017 Act
coming into force on 12th February 2026
2.
  The following provisions of
the 2017 Act
come into force on 12th February 2026, in relation to Northern Ireland only—
(a)
section 35
(disclosure of information to improve public service delivery)(
3
);

(b)
section 40
(further provisions about disclosures under any of sections 35 to 39)(
4
);

(c)
section 41
(confidentiality of personal information)(
5
);

(d)
section 42
(information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs);

(e)
section 43
(code of practice)(
6
);

(f)
section 44
(regulations under Chapter 1 of Part 5)(
7
);

(g)
section 45 (interpretation of Chapter 1 of Part 5 etc)(
8
);

(h)
section 48
(disclosure of information to reduce debt owed to the public sector)(
9
);

(i)
section 49
(further provisions about power in section 48)(
10
);

(j)
section 50
(confidentiality of personal information)(
11
);

(k)
section 51
(information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs);

(l)
section 52
(code of practice)(
12
);

(m)
section 54 (regulations under Chapter 3 of Part 5);

(n)
section 55
(interpretation of Chapter 3 of Part 5);

(o)
section 56
(disclosure of information to combat fraud against the public sector)(
13
);

(p)
section 57
(further provisions about power in section 56)(
14
);

(q)
section 58 (confidentiality of personal information)
(
15
)
;

(r)
section 59
(information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs);

(s)
section 60
(code of practice)(
16
);

(t)
section 62
(regulations under Chapter 4 of Part 5);

(u)
section 63
(interpretation of Chapter 4 of Part 5);

(v)
Schedule 4 (public service delivery: specified persons for the purposes of section 35)(
17
);

(w)
Schedule 7 (specified persons for the purposes of the debt provisions)(
18
);

(x)
Schedule 8 (specified persons for the purposes of the fraud provisions)(
19
).

Provision of the 2025 Act coming into force on 12th February 2026
3.
  Section 123 of the 2025 Act (disclosure of information to improve public service delivery to undertakings) comes into force, so far as not already in force(
20
), on 12th February 2026.
Ian Murray
Minister of State
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
11th February 2026
Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations bring into force specified provisions in the Digital Economy Act 2017 (“
the 2017 Act
”) and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (“
the 2025 Act
”).

Regulation 2 brings into force, in relation to Northern Ireland only, specified provisions in Part 5 (Digital Government) of the 2017 Act that relate to information-sharing powers for public authorities and other persons.

Regulation 3 brings into force section 123 of the 2025 Act, which amends the power in section 35 of the 2017 Act (disclosure of information to improve public service delivery) so that it may additionally be exercised to support businesses and bodies established for charitable purposes.

NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT Regulations
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The following provisions of the Digital Economy Act 2017 have been brought into force, to the extent indicated below, by commencement regulations made before the date of these Regulations.

Provision
Date of Commencement
S.I. No.
Section 4 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 4 (further purposes)
22nd November 2017
2017/1136
Section 4 (remaining purposes)
28th December 2017
2017/1286
Section 5
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 6
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 8
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 14 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 15 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 16
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 17
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 21(5) (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 22 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 25
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 26(2)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 27
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 30(1) and (2) (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 31 (partially)
30th June 2018
2018/690
Section 31 (remaining purposes)
30th June 2021
2021/680
Section 32
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 33
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 34
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 35 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 35 (further purposes)
9th March 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 35 (further purposes)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 35 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 36 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 36 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 37
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 38 (partially)
9th March 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 38 (further purposes)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 38 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 39 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 39 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 40 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 40 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 41 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 41 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 42 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 42 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 43 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 43 (further purposes)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 44 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 44 (further purposes)
9th March 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 44 (further purposes)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 44 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 45 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 45 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 46 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 46 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 47 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 47 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 48 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 48 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 49 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 50 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 51 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 52 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 53 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 54 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 54 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 55 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 56 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 56 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 57 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 58 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 59 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 60 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 61 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 62 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 62 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 63 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 64 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 64 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 65 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 65 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 66 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 66 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 67 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 67 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 68 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 68 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 69 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 69 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 70 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 70 (further purposes)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 70 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 71 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 71 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 72 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 72 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 73 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 73 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 74
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 75 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Section 76
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 77
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 78
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 79 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 79 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 80 (partially)
1st October 2017
2017/765
Section 80 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 81 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 81 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Section 87
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 92
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 93 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 95
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 98
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 99
29th October 2021
2021/1170
Section 100
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 101
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 102
1st October 2018
2017/765
Section 104
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 105 (partially)
6th April 2018
2018/382
Section 106 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 108
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 109
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 110
31st July 2017
2017/765
Section 111(8) and (9)
25th May 2018
2018/624
Section 114
1st August 2020
2020/70
Schedule 1 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Schedule 1 (further purposes)
22nd November 2017
2017/1136
Schedule 1 (remaining purposes)
28th December 2017
2017/1286
Schedule 2
28th December 2017
2017/1286
Schedule 3 (partially)
31st July 2017
2017/765
Schedule 3 (remaining purposes)
28th December 2017
2017/1286
Schedule 4 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Schedule 4 (further purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Schedule 5
1st May 2018
2018/382
Schedule 6 (partially)
1st April 2018
2018/342 (W. 62)
Schedule 6 (remaining purposes)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Schedule 7 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382
Schedule 8 (partially)
1st May 2018
2018/382

The following provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 have been brought into force, so far as they were not already in force (see section 142(2)(h) of that Act), to the extent indicated below, by commencement regulations made before the date of these Regulations. On the date these Regulations are made, the commencement date of the provisions marked * have not been reached.

Provision
Date of Commencement
S.I. No.
Part 1
20th August 2025
2025/904
Part 2 (partially)
1st December 2025
2025/1213
Section 67
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 68
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 70
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 71
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 72 (partially)
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 72 (remaining purposes)
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 73
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 74
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 75
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 76
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 77
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 79
5th September 2025
2025/996
Section 80
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 81
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 83
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 84
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 85
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 86
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 87
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 88
5th September 2025
2025/996
Section 89
17th November 2025
2025/996
Section 90
17th November 2025
2025/996
Section 91
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 92
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 93
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 94
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 95
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 98
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 99
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 100
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 101
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 102
20th August 2025
2025/904
*Section 103
19th June 2026
2026/82
Section 104
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 105
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 106
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 107
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 108
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 109
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 110 (partially)
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 110 (remaining purposes)
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 111
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 112
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 113
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 114
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 115
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 116
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 117 (partially)
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 120
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 121
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 124
30th September 2025
2025/982
Section 125
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 129
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 130
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 132
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 133 (partially)
5th February 2026
2026/82
Section 134
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 135
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 136
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 137
20th August 2025
2025/904
Section 138
6th February 2026
2026/31
Schedule 4
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 5
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 6
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 7
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 8
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 9
5th February 2026
2026/82
*Schedule 10
19th June 2026
2026/82
Schedule 11 (partially)
20th August 2025
2025/904
Schedule 11 (further purposes)
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 12
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 13
5th February 2026
2026/82
Schedule 14
20th August 2025
2025/904
Schedule 15
5th February 2026
2026/82

(
1
)
2017 c. 30
.
(
2
)
2025 c. 18
.
(
3
)
Section 35 was amended by paragraph 18(2) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/424
.
(
4
)
Section 40 was amended by
paragraph 216

(2)
and
(3)
of
Schedule 19
to the
Data Protection Act 2018
(c. 12).
(
5
)
Section 41 was amended by paragraph 443(1) of Schedule 24 to the Sentencing Act
2020 (c. 17)
, regulation 5(1) and
Part 1
of
the Schedule
to
S.I. 2022/500
and regulation 2(1) and Part 1 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/149
.
(
6
)
Section 43 was amended by
article 6

(2)
of
S.I. 2018/526
, paragraph 217(2) and (3) of Schedule 19 to the Data Protection Act 2018,
article 6

(2)
of
S.I. 2020/940
and
section 92

(9)

(a)
of the
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
.
(
7
)
Section 44 was amended by article 6(2) and (3) of
S.I. 2018/526
, article 6(3) of
S.I. 2020/940
and article 9(2) of
S.I. 2025/557
.
(
8
)
Section 45 was amended by
article 6

(4)
of
S.I. 2018/526
and
article 6

(4)
of
S.I. 2020/940
.
(
9
)
Section 48 was amended by paragraph 18(3) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/424
and article 9(3) of
S.I. 2025/557
.
(
10
)
Section 49 was amended by paragraph 218(2) and (3) of Schedule 19 to the Data Protection Act 2018.
(
11
)
Section 50 was amended by paragraph 443(1) of Schedule 24 to the Sentencing Act 2020, regulation 5(1) and Part 1 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2022/500
and regulation 2(1) and Part 1 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/149
.
(
12
)
Section 52 was amended by paragraph 219(2) and (3) of Schedule 19 to the Data Protection Act 2018 and
section 92

(9)

(b)
of the
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
.
(
13
)
Section 56 was amended by paragraph 18(4) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/424
and article 9(4) of
S.I. 2025/557
.
(
14
)
Section 57 was amended by paragraph 220(2) and (3) of Schedule 19 to the Data Protection Act 2018.
(
15
)
Section 58 was amended by paragraph 443(1) of Schedule 24 to the Sentencing Act 2020, regulation 5(1) and Part 1 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2022/500
and regulation 2(1) and Part 1 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/149
.
(
16
)
Section 60 was amended by paragraph 221(2) and (3) of Schedule 19 to the Data Protection Act 2018 and section 92(9)(c) of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
(
17
)
Schedule 4 was amended by paragraph 6(a) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2017/979
, paragraph 19(a) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2018/378
, paragraph 1 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2018/551 (W. 93)
, regulation 2 of
S.S.I. 2018/243
, paragraph 15 of Schedule 3 to the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act
2020 (asc 1)
, paragraph 26(a) of Schedule 2 to
S.I. 2021/1265
, paragraph 18(5) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/424
, paragraph 214 of Schedule 4 to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act
2023 (c. 55)
, regulation 2 of
S.I. 2024/64
and paragraph 13(a) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2024/991
.
(
18
)
Schedule 7 was amended by paragraph 4 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2018/551 (W. 93)
, regulation 2 of
S.S.I. 2022/91
and paragraph 28(7) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/424
.
(
19
)
Schedule 8 was amended by paragraph 6(b) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2017/979
, paragraph 19(d) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2018/378
, paragraph 5 of the Schedule to
S.I. 2018/551 (W. 93)
, regulation 14 of
S.I. 2019/1027
, paragraph 26(d) of Schedule 2 to
S.I. 2021/1265
, regulation 3 of
S.S.I. 2022/91
, paragraph 18(8) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2023/424
, regulation 2 of
S.I. 2024/805 (W. 129)
and paragraph 13(d) of the Schedule to
S.I. 2024/991
.
(
20
)
Section 123 came into force on the day on which the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 received Royal Assent so far as it confers power to make regulations or is otherwise necessary for enabling the exercise of such a power (see section 142(2)(h) of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025).
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