Part 7: Other provision about use of, or access to, data Information for research about online safety matters Section 125: Information for research about online safety matters New section 154A – information for research about online safety matters
Subsection (1) gives the Secretary of State the power to make regulations requiring providers of regulated services to provide information to independent researchers for them to carry out associated research. The information will be provided under a new framework created by the regulations.
	Subsection (2) gives examples of the type of provision the regulations might make, including matters of procedure, fees, enforcement and appeals. This is a non-exhaustive list of examples to give an indication of the types of matters to be set out in the regulations.
	Subsection (3) sets out a non-exhaustive list of the types of enforcement measures that the regulations might include, including potential financial or criminal liability.
	Subsection (4) makes provision for the appointment of an appropriate person (defined in subsection 8(b) as OFCOM or such other person or body as the Secretary of State may consider appropriate) to carry out functions under, or for the purposes of, the regulations. Regulations may require or authorise functions to be carried out by different appropriate persons appointed for such purpose.
	Subsection (5) confirms that the regulations may apply generally, or only to those descriptions of regulated services, researchers, research, or information as are specified in the regulations. It also sets out that the regulations may apply differently to each of these stated services, researchers, research, or information.
	Subsection (6) makes it clear that the regulations made under this power shall not require providers to do anything that would contravene data protection legislation or result in the disclosure of legally privileged material.
	Subsection (7) requires the Secretary of State to consult several named organisations and groups before making the regulations.
	Subsection (8) defines the term ‘independent research’ as research carried out other than on behalf of a regulated service. It also defines ‘appropriate person’ for the purposes of new section 154A(4).
	Subsection (3) of section 125 removes OFCOM’s duty to produce guidance under section 162(7) to (10) of the OSA 2023. Under section 162(1) to (6) of that Act, OFCOM must produce a report exploring what information is currently available to researchers, what factors are constraining their research, and what can be done in the future to improve access to data. The removal of OFCOM’s requirement to produce guidance following publication of that report is intended to avoid any conflict between the guidance and any regulations made under new section 154A(1).
	Subsection (4) makes provision in relation to parliamentary procedure. It requires the first set of regulations made to be subject to the affirmative parliamentary procedure. Any subsequent regulations, which are unlikely to amend significant policy detail of the regime, would then be made through the negative parliamentary procedure.
	Subsection (5) states that the consultation required under new section 154A(7) could be conducted before the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 was passed.