Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information

Check out Carol Tullo’s, blog “A Map for the Future?” on how government bodies can use geographical data to improve the way they work and give opinion.

Carol Tullo says:

I am glad that my starter thoughts have sparked such a varied trail - and taken in the State of Maryland en route!  It shows how debate and discussion, like content, recognise no geographical boundaries and how from my London desktop I can converse with like minded pundits in this information space with ease.  This is so different to 12 years' ago when I started to work in government information management and policy.  We now have an expert constituency that challenges constructively some of the historical constraints [real and perceived] to making things happen.  I have long been an advocate of not just explaining good practice but also of knowing what it is actually like to deliver the service and do it for real.  Only in that respect can we provide fully rounded advice that is grounded in listening to user feedback.  In the next month we anticipate a large tranche of data being released online to keep up the momentum.  It will not be a perfect solution for all no doubt, but as with this blog, it will have the advantage of airing and linking location data to a wider audience.

Michael Jennings, APPSI’s Local Government Representative says:

The Economist (27 February-5 March) has a 14 page special report on The Data Deluge. You can see the Leader article (25 February) trailing it on Economist.com, but the special report itself is only in print from at this stage. One of the eight articles in the report is entitled The Open Society (pages 10-11) and is devoted to "Governments letting in the light". It contrasts progress in the USA with here, saying the European Directive has no bite, and that Crown Copyright is an obstacle, referring specifically to OS and PAF, and the "loud complaints from businesses and activists", whilst acknowledging that "from later this year access to some parts of both data sets will be free thanks to an initiative the bring more government services online."

In the comments section after the Leader on The Data Deluge on Economist.Com, Peter Wilkinson (Director of Policy, Research & Studies at the Audit Commission) says "As a local public spending watchdog, the Audit Commission has been interested in how information can be used to improve public services for a long time. On 5 March we will publish a discussion paper called "The Truth is Out There" which explores the issues raised by the data deluge - both the opportunities and the risks - based upon international experience. It invites suggestions for how transparency of data can best be harnessed for better public services, and better value for taxpayers.

Background

In October 2007, the Prime Minister announced an independent review of the ‘30 year rule’ – the arrangements governing the custody of and access to public records.

The review was chaired by Paul Dacre, Editor in Chief of Associated Newspapers, and the review team was supported throughout its work by staff from The National Archives. It took evidence from a wide range of organisations and individuals, and examined the history of access to public records. It published its report and recommendations in January 2009.

In June 2009, the government announced its initial response to the review. The National Archives was heavily involved in developing the government’s response, which included the following key changes:

•  a reduction in the 30 year rule to 20 years – meaning that the majority of records must be transferred to The National Archives and made available to the public by the time they are 20 years old;
• the potential broadening of the reach of the Freedom of Information Act.

Today’s announcement

Today government announced the detail of how and when it plans to implement these changes. This will include proposed new clauses, introduced as part of the Constitutional Renewal and Governance Bill, to give effect to the required changes to the Public Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act. 

To summarise, if this legislation is passed, the 30 year rule will be reduced gradually over ten years, allowing plenty of time to plan what needs to be done by The National Archives, central government and the wider archive sector before full implementation.

If you would like to read the Written Ministerial Statement from Michael Wills, Minister of State for Justice,  you can see it on the MOJ website here

requests the pleasure of your company at its

on Wednesday 16 June 2010, 11:00am-4:00pm

at The Residence Palace, Brussels

The PSI Alliance was established in order to encourage the public sector to maintain a trading environment that is fair and equitable, in particular in relation to the licensing and re-use of public sector information (PSI).

Members are private sector companies and associations who are committed to working with PSI holders towards the maintenance and development of a vibrant, information-driven EU economy that ultimately works to the benefit of the public sector, private sector and the end consumer.

Speakers at the Annual Conference include Javier Hernández-Ros, Head of Unit, Access to Information, European Commission; Professor Nigel Shadbolt, UK Government Information Adviser; Gustaf Johnssén, Senior Advisor, Swedish Ministry of Finance; Ignacio Durán Boo, Deputy General Director Cadastre , Spanish Ministry Economy and Finance; Michael Fanning, CEO Online Consultants International GmbH; Rolf Nordqvist, Chairman of the PSI Alliance.

The conference is free to PSI Alliance members and for non members is 95 Euros (plus VAT) before 28th May or 150 Euros (plus VAT) before 16th June.  Any non-member who attends the conference and then joins the PSI Alliance will have their conference fee deducted from the cost of membership.

For futher information and to RSVP please contact Danient Bacall: danielbacall@luther.co.uk, Tel: + 44 (0) 207 618 9100

PSI-Alliance-June-Annual-Conference-Agenda.pdf (55.1 KB)

See also the PSI Alliance website.

The highlights of this meeting include:

• presentation from The National Archives on plans for the Statute Law Database as part of the legislation service
• presentation from The National Archives on the government's progress on a new licensing pilot
• presentation from APPSI's economist on the pricing of PSI

Meeting papers:

17.02.10-APPSI-Agenda.pdf (82.63 KB)

Paper1-17-09-09-APPSI-minutes.pdf (152 KB)

Paper-2-10.12.09-APPSI-Seminar-minutes.pdf (244.17 KB)

Paper3_StatuteLawDatabase-presentation.pdf (1.25 MB)

Paper4_presentation-on-creative-commons.pdf (494.64 KB)

Paper5_Economics_of_PSI.pdf (101.21 KB)

Paper-6-EuropeanPSIPlatform_Report.pdf (131.19 KB)

Minutes:

17.02.10-APPSI-minutes.pdf (279.26 KB)

The Spatialist project and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Law and ICT would like to invite you to their workshop on legal aspects of geographic data and spatial data infrastructures, taking place in Leuven, Belgium on 19 March.

Further details can be obtained from workshop the Flyer.pdf (202.21 KB)