2023-01-252022/23:KU16 · p.1KUConstitution
Confidentiality at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency for information about individuals' personal circumstances in electricity support cases
What's at stake: The Social Insurance Agency collects personal and address data together with a year's electricity consumption for every household in the relevant electricity areas. When compiled, the data can reveal habits, lifestyle and finances of individuals and groups, while the public's ability to scrutinise how the electricity support functions and what effects it has depends on open data.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether data on individuals' personal circumstances - such as compiled information on electricity consumption, address and the amount of electricity support - should be covered by confidentiality at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency to protect personal privacy, or whether the data should continue to be public so that the effects of the electricity support can be scrutinised.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee, like the government, judges that there is a need for confidentiality regarding data on individuals' personal circumstances in electricity-support cases. The reason is that personal and address data together with a year's electricity consumption are collected by the agency for every household in the relevant electricity areas, and that the compiled data could reveal habits, lifestyle and finances of individuals and groups - which outweighs the public-interest value that would otherwise follow from the principle of public access, since individuals cannot themselves prevent the data from being submitted to and held by the agency.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V, C, MP)
The reservation (S, V, C, MP) opposes confidentiality for data on personal circumstances. The reasoning is that the principle of public access may only be restricted where stronger competing interests exist, that there is a strong interest in being able to scrutinise data on electricity consumption and support in order to assess the effects of the support, and that the government's grounds for confidentiality are insufficient - while the government's handling of the matter is also questioned, including by the Council on Legislation.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: adopting the government's legislative proposal and rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V, C, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Yes | No 0/21/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | Yes | No 0/93/0/14 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | Yes | No 0/16/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | Yes | No 0/21/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/1 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 59/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 64/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag adopts the government's proposal for a law amending the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400) in the respects it concerns Chapter 28, Section 4 a. Thereby the Riksdag approves Government Bill 2022/23:48 point 1 in this respect and rejects the motions 2022/23:2304 by Nooshi Dadgostar et al. (V) in this respect, 2022/23:2305 by Malin Björk et al. (C) in this respect, 2022/23:2306 by Per Bolund et al. (MP) in this respect and 2022/23:2307 by Ida Karkiainen et al. (S).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen antar regeringens förslag till lag om ändring i offentlighets- och sekretesslagen (2009:400) i de delar det avser 28 kap. 4 a §. Därmed bifaller riksdagen proposition 2022/23:48 punkt 1 i denna del och avslår motionerna 2022/23:2304 av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V) i denna del, 2022/23:2305 av Malin Björk m.fl. (C) i denna del, 2022/23:2306 av Per Bolund m.fl. (MP) i denna del och 2022/23:2307 av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S).
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's proposal that confidentiality should apply when the Swedish Social Insurance Agency handles electricity support cases for electricity users. Confidentiality should apply to electricity users' personal circumstances and information used to identify electrical installations. If it is clear that the information can be disclosed without causing harm to the individual, confidentiality shall not apply. The Riksdag also approved the proposal to remove the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's obligation to provide a report to the Tax Agency in electricity support cases for electricity users. The law amendments enter into force on 1 February 2023.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to oppose the introduction of secrecy for data about individuals' personal circumstances in electricity support cases. (S, V, C, MP) — Reservation 1
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
Here it concerns information about individuals' habits, lifestyle and finances.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
Here it concerns information about individuals' habits, lifestyle and finances. The plan stipulates that all have the right to a broad private sphere that is protected in practice and that personal integrity is part of a deepened democracy. Opening such compilations to outsiders conflicts with this, even though the plan otherwise values the principle of public access.
Original (Swedish)
Här gäller uppgifter om enskildas vanor, livsstil och ekonomi. Planen slår fast att alla har rätt till en bred privat sfär som skyddas i praktiken och att den personliga integriteten är en del av en fördjupad demokrati. Att öppna sådana sammanställningar för utomstående strider mot det, även om planen i övrigt värnar offentlighetsprincipen.
- right to private sphereweak support»Alla människor har rätt till en bred privat sfär« (party programme ↗)“All people have the right to a broad private sphere”
- personal integritydecisive»personliga integriteten och fundamentala principer i en rättsstat« (party programme ↗)“personal integrity and fundamental principles in a rule of law”
- principle of public access»föreningsfriheten, yttrande- och tryckfriheten, offentlighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“freedom of association, freedom of speech and press freedom, principle of public access”
flags: citat_svagt
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan places an absolute obligation on society to protect personal integrity and particularly warns against technology being used to map individuals' habits.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan places an absolute obligation on society to protect personal integrity and particularly warns against technology being used to map individuals' habits. A compilation of personal data and a year of electricity consumption for all households is precisely such mapping. The plan's requirement for public access carries less weight here, since the data concerns individuals who cannot prevent collection.
Original (Swedish)
Planen ålägger samhället en absolut skyldighet att skydda den personliga integriteten och varnar särskilt för att teknik används för att kartlägga enskildas vanor. En sammanställning av personuppgifter och ett års elförbrukning för samtliga hushåll är just en sådan kartläggning. Planens krav på offentlighet väger här lättare, eftersom uppgifterna avser enskilda som inte kan hindra insamlingen.
- protection against mappingdecisive»Den personliga integriteten hotas när kommersiella och andra aktörer använder tekniken för att kartlägga den enskildes intressen och vanor.« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity is threatened when commercial and other actors use the technology to map the individual's interests and habits.”
- protect personal integrity»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute obligation to protect freedom and personal integrity”
- public access and transparency»Den demokratiska processen och samhällsförvaltningen måste bygga på offentlighet och insyn.« (party programme ↗)“The democratic process and public administration must be built on public access and transparency.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
Here the plan's two commitments stand against each other, and privacy protection weighs most: the party programme wants to safeguard people's right to privacy and private life and opposes inroads into privacy that are not proportionate, particularly when individuals themselves cannot prevent information being collected by authorities.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
Here the plan's two commitments stand against each other, and privacy protection weighs most: the party programme wants to safeguard people's right to privacy and private life and opposes inroads into privacy that are not proportionate, particularly when individuals themselves cannot prevent information being collected by authorities. Compiled information about households' electricity consumption and addresses are precisely such personal matters. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demand to remove the secrecy.
Original (Swedish)
Här står planens två åtaganden mot varandra, och integritetsskyddet väger tyngst: partiprogrammet vill värna människors rätt till integritet och privatliv och motsätter sig ingrepp i integriteten som inte är proportionerliga, särskilt när enskilda inte själva kan hindra att uppgifter samlas hos myndigheter. Sammanställda uppgifter om hushållens elförbrukning och adresser är just sådana personliga förhållanden. Planen talar därför mot motförslagets krav på att sekretessen tas bort.
- right to privacy and private lifedecisive»Vi vill värna människors rätt till integritet och« (party programme ↗)“We want to safeguard people's right to privacy and”
- proportionality in privacy inroads»alla lagar som innebär oproportionerliga ingrepp i« (party programme ↗)“all laws that entail disproportionate inroads into”
- public access principle as counterweight»Offentlighetsprincipen och meddelarfriheten måste« (party programme ↗)“The principle of public access to information and freedom of information must”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan's decisive commitment here is that strong integrity protection is an essential part of an open society and that respect for the individual's personal integrity is a cornerstone of democracy.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's decisive commitment here is that strong integrity protection is an essential part of an open society and that respect for the individual's personal integrity is a cornerstone of democracy. The data concerns individual households' electricity consumption and address, which individuals themselves cannot avoid providing. The plan's openness principle is a counterweight, but the integrity protection weighs heavier, and the plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Planens avgörande åtagande här är att ett starkt integritetsskydd är en omistlig del av ett öppet samhälle och att respekten för den enskildes personliga integritet är en grundsten i demokratin. Uppgifterna gäller enskilda hushålls elförbrukning och adress, som enskilda inte själva kan undvika att lämna. Planens öppenhetsprincip är en motvikt, men integritetsskyddet väger tyngre, och planen talar därför emot motförslagets krav.
- strong integrity protectiondecisive»Ett starkt integritetsskydd är därför en omistlig del av ett öppet och demokratiskt samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“Strong integrity protection is therefore an essential part of an open and democratic society.”
- personal integrity as cornerstone»Respekten för den enskildes personliga integritet är en grundsten i varje demokrati.« (party programme ↗)“Respect for the individual's personal integrity is a cornerstone of every democracy.”
- openness as counterweight»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are prerequisites for freedom, democracy and for preventing corruption and abuse.”
Worldstate weighed in: Electricity support as a crisis measure for extreme electricity prices — Data on all households' electricity consumption is collected by an authority, a situation the plan never anticipated
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
Here the matters concern individuals' personal circumstances: address and one year's electricity consumption for all households.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
Here the matters concern individuals' personal circumstances: address and one year's electricity consumption for all households. The plan's explicit commitment is that protection for the individual's integrity shall be strengthened, that dignity and integrity shall not be violated and that information shall not be used for purposes other than the original ones. The principle of public access is indeed central to the plan, but the individual cannot here themselves refrain from providing the information.
Original (Swedish)
Här rör uppgifterna enskildas personliga förhållanden: adress och ett års elförbrukning för samtliga hushåll. Planens uttryckliga åtagande är att skyddet för den enskildes integritet ska stärkas, att värdighet och integritet inte får kränkas och att uppgifter inte får användas för andra syften än de ursprungliga. Offentlighetsprincipen är visserligen central i planen, men den enskilde kan här inte själv avstå från att lämna uppgifterna.
- strengthened integrity protectiondecisive»Skyddet för den enskildes integritet ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Protection for the individual's integrity shall be strengthened.”
- dignity and integrity»Den enskildes värdighet och integritet får inte kränkas.« (party programme ↗)“The individual's dignity and integrity shall not be violated.”
- purpose limitation in registration»Övervakning och registrering ska inte användas för andra syften än vad som var de ursprungliga motiven« (party programme ↗)“Monitoring and registration shall not be used for purposes other than what were the original motives”
- the public access principle underpins democracy»Offentlighetsprincipen har en grundläggande betydelse för att förankra och fördjupa folkstyret« (party programme ↗)“The principle of public access has fundamental importance for anchoring and deepening democracy”
The counter-proposal opposes secrecy for information on individuals' personal circumstances in electricity support matters and wants full transparency.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal opposes secrecy for information on individuals' personal circumstances in electricity support matters and wants full transparency. The party programme requires that personal integrity has strong constitutional protection and that the public sector applies great caution when processing personal data, especially when individuals cannot themselves prevent the information from being submitted. The plan therefore argues for secrecy, although otherwise it wants the secrecy option to be used restrictively.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget motsätter sig sekretess för uppgifter om enskildas personliga förhållanden i elstödsärenden och vill ha full insyn. Principprogrammet kräver att den personliga integriteten har ett starkt grundlagsskydd och att det offentliga tillämpar stor försiktighet vid hantering av personuppgifter, särskilt när enskilda inte själva kan hindra att uppgifterna lämnas in. Planen talar därför för sekretessen, även om den i övrigt vill att sekretess nyttjas restriktivt.
- strong integrity protectiondecisive»Den personliga integriteten ska ha ett starkt« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity should have a strong”
- caution with personal data»försiktighet och respekt för den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“caution and respect for personal integrity”
- constitutionally protected rights»Grundlagen ska säkerställa de rättigheter som alltid« (party programme ↗)“The constitution should ensure the rights that always”
- restrictive secrecy»Sekretessmöjligheten ska nyttjas restriktivt.« (party programme ↗)“The secrecy option should be used restrictively.”
The party programme establishes that personal integrity shall be protected against infringement on the sanctity of privacy and that freedom and security go hand in hand.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that personal integrity shall be protected against infringement on the sanctity of privacy and that freedom and security go hand in hand. Information about each household's electricity consumption together with personal and address data provides precisely the picture of habits and economy that privacy protection is intended to prevent, and individuals cannot themselves avoid providing them. The demand to deny secrecy is therefore rejected.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att den personliga integriteten ska värnas mot intrång i privatlivets helgd och att frihet och trygghet går hand i hand. Uppgifter om varje hushålls elförbrukning tillsammans med person- och adressuppgifter ger just den bild av vanor och ekonomi som integritetsskyddet ska förhindra, och enskilda kan inte själva undvika att lämna dem. Kravet på att neka sekretess avvisas därför.
- personal integritydecisive»Den personliga integriteten ska värnas, såväl från intrång« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall be protected, as well as against infringement”
- freedom and security»Frihet och trygghet går hand i hand.« (party programme ↗)“Freedom and security go hand in hand.”
- electricity support to households»Skydda hushållen mot vinterns elräkningar genom ett högkostnadsskydd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect households against winter electricity bills through a high-cost protection”
Worldstate weighed in: The electricity price crisis and state electricity support to households — A crisis measure that the plan did not anticipate collects electricity consumption data about all households, which makes privacy protection crucial
The plan does not address secrecy rules in electricity support matters.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address secrecy rules in electricity support matters. The closest principle is the plan's emphasis on the individual's inviolable value and on the state not interfering in private life, which speaks for secrecy when personal and address information is combined with one year's electricity consumption for all households. The counter-proposal's requirement for full transparency in such personal information has no support in the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte sekretessregler i elstödsärenden. Närmast liggande princip är planens betoning av den enskildes okränkbara värde och av att det allmänna inte ska lägga sig i privatlivet, vilket talar för sekretess när person- och adressuppgifter kombineras med ett års elförbrukning för samtliga hushåll. Motförslagets krav på full insyn i sådana personuppgifter har inget stöd i planen.
- strengthened rights protectiondecisive»Förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd vad gäller yttrandefrihet, äganderätt och frihet från religion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the Instrument of Government's protection of rights regarding freedom of expression, property rights and freedom from religion”
- individual integrity»Varje människa har ett grundläggande och okränkbart värde« (party programme ↗)“Every human being has a fundamental and inviolable value”
- protection of private life»Jämfört med många delar av världen har Sverige kommit långt när det gäller ett samhälle där det allmänna inte lägger sig i privatlivet och där möjligheterna till familje- och privatliv inte är olika beroende av sexuell läggning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Compared to many parts of the world, Sweden has come a long way towards a society where the state does not interfere in private life and where opportunities for family and private life are not dependent on sexual orientation.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:KU16)
- Committee report full text (HA01KU16)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:2304 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:48 Sekretess vid Försäkringskassans handläggning av ärenden om elstöd samt slopad kontrolluppgiftsskyldighet av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:2305 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:48 Sekretess vid Försäkringskassans handläggning av ärenden om elstöd samt slopad kontrolluppgiftsskyldighet av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:2306 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:48 Sekretess vid Försäkringskassans handläggning av ärenden om elstöd samt slopad kontrolluppgiftsskyldighet av Per Bolund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2307 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:48 Sekretess vid Försäkringskassans handläggning av ärenden om elstöd samt slopad kontrolluppgiftsskyldighet av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S)
- Proposition 2022/23:48 — Sekretess vid Försäkringskassans handläggning av ärenden om elstöd samt slopad kontrolluppgiftsskyldighet
Source: The Swedish Parliament