Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information

The Government has today published a plan to secure Britain’s place at the forefront of the global digital economy.

The Digital Britain Report underlines the importance of the communications sector, its crucial contribution to the economy and its role in building Britain’s industrial future.

The interim report contains more than 20 recommendations, including specific proposals on:

• next generation networks
• universal access to broadband 
• the creation of a second public service provider of scale
• the modernisation of wireless radio spectrum holdings
• a digital future for radio
• a new deal for digital content rights
• enhancing the digital delivery of public services

Section 3 of the interim report focuses on how digital technology has advanced the re-use of information - created opportunities for new formats and more interactive services. However, the report acknowledges that whilst digital technology promotes participation, pro-activity, and creativity, a tension exists between providing reasonable rewards for creativity, which have historically required a measure of protection for the creator's rights, and the freedom to allow that content to be re-used to enable further innovation and creativity.  Therefore, the Government will consider the debate (launched by the Intellectual Property Office) on the future of copyright in order to build a long term vision of copyright that is effective and enforceable, which will allow for innovation in platforms, devices and applications that make use of content and that response to consumers' desire to access content in the time and manner they want, allowing them to use it how they want, and at a price they are willing to pay.  By the time the final Digital Britain report is published the Government will have explored with interested parties the potential for a Rights Agency to bring industry together to

• agree how to provide incentives for legal use of copyright material
• work together to prevent unlawful use by consumers which infringes civil copyright law
• enable technical copyright-support solutions that work for both consumers and content creators.

At the same time, Government will help to deter copyright infringement online by consumers in both the short and longer term.

The full report and proposals will be unveiled in late spring.

Background

In January 2008, the Prime Minister appointed an independent team to review when Government records are made available to the public. This review, which ran from January - April 2008, focused on whether, in the light of Freedom of Information and other considerations, there should be any changes to the ‘30 year rule’ – the time span under which most public records are transferred to The National Archives and opened for inspection. 

The Review took evidence from a wide range of organisations and individuals through evidence sessions and an opinion poll. It also examined in detail the history of access to public records, and the developments that have, arguably, cast doubt on the continued appropriateness of the 30 year rule. One of the most powerful of these, the report argues, is the Freedom of Information Act.

Recommendations

The key recommendations are:

• The reduction of the 30-year rule to 15 years, so that government records have to be transferred by the time they are 15 years old. This would be phased in over a period of 15 years.
• An independent review of the Radcliff rules on the publication of memoirs by former ministers, civil servants and special advisers.
• Changes to the Civil Service Code to help make sure that civil servants keep full, accurate and impartial records of government business.
• That government clarify that special advisers, as temporary civil servants, have a duty to keep a full record of their non-political activities which will be archived and released in the same way as any other official documents.
  

See 30-year rule review report (PDF, 796.91kb)

See also APPSI's response to the 30-year rule review consultation, 29 February 2008.

Peter Wienand and Shane O'Neill of APPSI attended a seminar hosted by the the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) on Public Sector Intangible Assets - Unlocking the Potential, organised by UKIPO.  Peter chaired the session on 'Adding value'.  The seminar was designed to generate points to be taken into account in a paper on public sector intangibles being prepared for David Lammy, MP, Minister for Higher Education and Intellectual Property.  While the long term practical outcomes of this project are unclear, this very well-attended event involved a wide-ranging discussion, touching on such themes as public task, the value of public sector intangibles to the wider economy and society, ownership of IP versus use and distinctions between PSI and other types of intangible (such as patents).

14.01.09 Agenda.pdf (15.8 KB)

Presentations

• Chris-Jenkins,-Barriers-and-incentives-in-maximising-the-value-of-PSIAs.pdf (81.43 KB)
• Deborah-Downey,-Intangible-Value.pdf (241.65 KB)
• Iain-Laird,-Public-Sector-Intangible-Assets-Barriers-and-Incentives.pdf (113.65 KB)
• Michael-Fanning,-Public-Sector-Intangible-Assets.pdf (362.73 KB)
• Mike-Dalrymple,-Successful-translation-of-life-science-research.pdf (158.58 KB)
• Raj-Sivalingam,-public-sector-intangible-assets.pdf (82.73 KB)
• William-Perrin,-Power-of-public-information.pdf (2.06 MB)

APPSI is currently seeking four new members all of whom will be required to have a background in public sector information.  We are looking for

• an economist who can provide an economic perspective on public sector information;
• a member representing Wales who is able to present specific Welsh interests in the area of public sector information;
• a member representing Northern Ireland who can present specific Northern Ireland interests in the area of public sector information;
• and a member who can represent local government interests in the area of public sector information. 

These four posts are unpaid public appointments that will appeal to those who wish to influence government policy and support the wider re-use of information resources.

You will need to have a broad understanding of the information community and be able to provide evidence of involvement as a producer, manager, re-user or user of public sector information.  You will have the ability to articulate the views of the sector or expertise that you represent combined with the flexibility to reach consensus.

To obtain an application pack please go to the recruitment page of the APPSI website or alternatively call 0208 392 5330 extension 2252.

Closing date for returned application forms is Monday 9 February 2009.