Adrian Brazier, DTI, UK Maintaining public sector data quality and service innovation in a low charge environment

What are the policy drivers? Public sector information as a key economic resource for commercial exploitation by the private sector – the rationale for the Directive Public sector bodies being required to utilise their own resources and operate in a way that ensures they are not “a burden on the taxpayer”

Tension between these policy drivers In the UK both these policy drivers are strong, and trick is to ensure they are not mutually exclusive UK one of the foremost countries (after slow start) in liberating public sector information But also a clear requirement on public sector to act commercially wherever appropriate

Policy is (largely) driven by Finance Ministries The Treasury in the UK takes a pragmatic view – an income derived from the market offsetting running costs can be clearly measured, and targets set The overall benefit to the economy (and increased tax take) of an entirely marginal cost model is conjectural

Effects on public sector bodies Some parts of UK public sector required to meet financial return targets (Trading Funds), and generally welcome freedom this entails Strong view that approach ensures ongoing high standards of data Others in central government should operate commercially when appropriate – in practice patchy Local government facing similar drivers

Local government Additional problems include scale, resources and lack of off-the-shelf solutions Costs of implementing Directive for local authorities have proved very difficult to establish, but likely to be very low The UK has assumed typical costs for a “typical” local authority to be around £8K This assumes that implementation will simply utilise existing best practice

The future There needs to be a better understanding between the public sector and re-users At its best this should be a symbiotic relationship – but there must be recognition that public sector cannot just become a breeding ground for juicy source material Treasuries will be looking at the 3-year review with much interest – essential that it delivers hard-nosed evidence, not pious assumptions