National Data Governance and Value Exchange

Roundtable session at the House of Lords, 26 January 2026

This report shares the key insights from the National Data Governance and Value Exchange roundtable held at Millbank House on 26 January 2026. The session, at the invitation of Merlin Hay, The Earl of Erroll and chaired by Natasha Good, Corporate Partner at Freshfields LLC, brought together leaders from industry, government and research to explore how the United Kingdom can move toward connected, trusted data systems that deliver real public value. With artificial intelligence advancing quickly and expectations on national infrastructure rising, the group focused on what it will take to shift from isolated efforts to a more coherent, purposeful approach to data stewardship.

What follows captures the themes and commitments that emerged — from governance and incentives to skills, culture and technical foundations. Together, they illustrate a shared ambition to build a UK data ecosystem that supports innovation, strengthens public services and gives organisations the confidence to participate in a fair and future‑ready value exchange.