UK IRM Report

independent reporting mechanism:
united kingdom
progress report
20112013
INDEPENDENT
REPORTING MECHANISM
Kevin dunion
centre for Freedom of information
First progress report
OGP print logo
9/1/2011
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UNITED KINGDOM: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................... 3
A | BACKGROUND ....................................................................................... 15
B | PROCESS: DEVELOPMENT OF ACTION PLAN .................................. 19
C | PROCESS: CONSULTATION DURING IMPLEMENTATION ................ 21
D | IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMITMENTS ............................................ 23
CLUSTER 1. RIGHT TO DATA: STRENGTHENING THE
RIGHT TO DATASETS ........................................................ 25
CLUSTER 2. RIGHT TO DATA: REFORMING DATA
REQUEST INCENTIVES ..................................................... 27
CLUSTER 3. RIGHT TO DATA: STRENGTHENING INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY (IT) PROTOCOLS .................................... 29
CLUSTER 4. SETTING STANDARDS: PUBLIC DATA PRINCIPLES ...... 31
CLUSTER 5. SETTING STANDARDS: IMPLEMENTING
PUBLIC DATA STANDARDS .............................................. 33
CLUSTER 6. SETTING STANDARDS: USER FEEDBACK AND
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS .................................. 35
CLUSTER 7. SETTING STANDARDS: DATA LICENSING ..................... 37
CLUSTER 8. SETTING STANDARDS: METADATA AND
DATA DEFINITIONS .......................................................... 39
CLUSTER 9. CORPORATE AND PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY: PRIVACY AND PUBLIC
SECTOR TRANSPARENCY BOARD ................................. 41
CLUSTER 10. CORPORATE AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:
OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR TRANSPARENCY BOARDS .. 43
CLUSTER 11. COLLECTING AND PUBLISHING THE RIGHT DATA:
DATA INVENTORIES ....................................................... 45
independent reporting mechanism:
united kingdom
progress report 201113
Public comment version
CLUSTER 12. COLLECTING AND PUBLISHING THE RIGHT DATA:
MPROVING EFFICIENCY OF ACCESS ...........................47
CLUSTER 13. MAXIMISE THE OPENING UP OF DATA ........................49
CLUSTER 14. STIMULATE THE MARKET FOR INNOVATIVE
USE OF OPEN DATA ........................................................51
CLUSTER 15. OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ....................53
CLUSTER 16. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY: GOING DIGITAL ...................................57
CLUSTER 17. ICT: IMPROVING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
THROUGH ICT ...........................................................59
CLUSTER 18. ICT: IMPROVING INTERFACES........................................61
CLUSTER 19. ICT: DEVELOPING OPEN DATA STANDARDS ..............63
E | SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST ............................................................65
F | MOVING FORWARD ...............................................................................67
ANNEX: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................73
OGP print logo
9/1/2011
this version for all print publications
for online, use web version of logo
Preferred white space is 25% of logo width on all sides.
Letterhead sizing is 1 inch square.
1 in. sizing is preferred where appropriate.
Logo typeface is Gill Sans MT.
Signage and headlines should use Gill Sans family or
open source Sans Guilt adapatation.
Questions about usage? Contact
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executive summary
eXeCutiVe summArY
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3 This report was prepared by Kevin Dunion, Executive Director of the Centre for Freedom
of Information.
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a voluntary international initiative that aims
to secure commitments from governments to their citizenry to promote transparency,
empower cirizens, l_|r corruprion, and |arness new rec|nolo_ies ro srren_r|en
_overnance. T|e ndependenr Feporrin_ Mec|anism (FM) carries our a |iannual review
of each OGP participating countrys activities.
ne ol r|e ei_|r loundin_ counrries ol r|e GF, r|e K |e_an lormal parriciparion in
Seprem|er 2011.
T|e Ca|iner llce Transparency Team, responsi|le lor promorin_ rransparency across
_overnmenr, led GF in r|e K. T|e acrion plan rook place wir|in a |roader conrexr
ol or|er open dara and rransparency iniriarives. A num|er ol consulrarive _roups were
esra|lis|ed, some prior ro r|e GF acrion plan, suc| as r|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency
Board and r|e pen Dara sers Group. T|ese _roups include specialisrs in |andlin_
pu|lic secror dara and dara experrs lrom |usiness and academia.
OGP PrOcess
Counrries parriciparin_ in GF lollow a process lor consulrarion durin_ developmenr
ol r|eir GF acrion plan and durin_ implemenrarion.
Durin_ r|e lormularion ol r|e GF acrion plan, or|er exrensive consulrarions were
on_oin_, suc| as r|e process lor "Makin_ pen Dara Feal." To a _rear exrenr, r|is
consulrarion may |ave conrri|ured ro r|e lormularion ol r|e K acrion plan. T|ere
was nor, |owever, a separarely consrirured acrion plan on r|e GF acrion plan.
Suc| a consulrarion mi_|r |ave |een more wide reac|in_ and inclusive.
Followin_ r|e acrion plan lormularion and su|mission, r|e K Governmenr proposed
pu|lic consulrarions r|rou_| recenrly consrirured Fu|lic Secror Transparency Boards.
Noner|eless, ir is unclear ro w|ar exrenr srrucrured exrernal consulrarion rook place, il ar all.
Durin_ r|e implemenrarion period, consulrarion iniriarives improved. T|ese ellorrs
included r|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board, r|e Wellare Secror Transparency
Board, and r|e pen Dara sers Group. T|ese relarively small _roups |ave a selecr
mem|ers|ip drawn lrom indusrry, academia, and non_overnmenral or_anisarions
(NGs), as well as lrom _overnmenr and or|er pu|lic |odies. T|is secroral and
locussed approac| may lead ro _rearer owners|ip and delivery ol cerrain GF
commirmenr ourpurs, |ur runs r|e risks arrac|ed ro exclusiviry and ol represenrin_
only r|ose selecred |y _overnmenr.
AT A GLANCE
MEMBER SINCE: 2011
NUMBER OF COMMITMENTS: 41
LeveL oF compLetion
COMPLETED: 17 out of 41
IN PROGRESS: 20 out of 41
NOT STARTED: 0 out of 41
UNCLEAR: 0 out of 41
WITHDRAWN: 4 out of 41
timing
AHEAD/ON SCHEDULE: 21 out of 41

commitment emphasis
ACCESS TO
INFORMATION: 25 out of 41
CIVIC PARTICIPATION: 6 out of 41
ACCOUNTABILITY: 8 out of 41
TECH & INNOVATION
FOR TRANSPARENCY
& ACCOUNTABILITY: 9 out of 41
grand chaLLenges
SAFE COMMUNITIES: 0 out of 41
CORPORATE
RESPONSIBILITY: 1 out of 41
PUBLIC SERVICES: 8 out of 41
PUBLIC RESOURCES: 3 out of 41
PUBLIC INTEGRITY: 15 out of 41
The United Kingdom (UK) action plan focussed on innovations in open data and
online service delivery. The majority of commitments were achieved, although
some ambitious commitments around open data remain to be implemented.
Tbe UK consuItation, initiaIIy Iacking, bas seen signicant improvement since
tbe deveIopment of tbe rst action pIan.
INDEPENDENT REPORTING MECHANISM (IRM):
UniTed Kingdom
Progress rePorT 20112013
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ImPlementatIOn Of cOmmItments
Ta|le 1 summarises r|e 41 commirmenrs made |y K and _ives r|e FM researc|er's assessmenr ol eac|
commirmenr's level ol complerion, w|er|er eac| is on sc|edule, and key nexr sreps. T|e K plan locussed
primarily on online service delivery and access ro inlormarion.
Ta|le 2 summarises r|e FM researc|er's assessmenr ol pro_ress on eac| commirmenr.
Table 1 | Assessment of Progress by Commitment
thematic
cLuster
synopsis
LeveL oF
compLetion
timing next steps
A|ead ol
sc|edule, |e|ind
sc|edule, or on
sc|edule?
Right to Data:
Strengthening the
Right to Datasets
1. A new power for appropriate
independenr or_anisarions ro secure
release ol valua|le pu|lic darasers, in
suira|le lormar, qualiry and re_ulariry
Wir|drawn
NA Si_nilcanr
revision of the
commitment
2. A new, higher cost cap for
lreedom ol inlormarion lor dara |eld
wir|in T sysrems procured alrer
July 2012
Wir|drawn
NA Si_nilcanr
revision of the
commitment
Right to Data:
Reforming Data
Fequesr niriarives
3. meaningful disincentives for
pu|lic |odies and pu|lic servanrs
lound ro |ave wir||eld dara r|ar
s|ould |ave |een released
Be|ind sc|edule Furr|er work
on |asic
implementation
4. maximum time limits for how
lon_ pu|lic |odies can review
appeals a_ainsr Freedom ol
Information Act (FOI) refusals
on |asic
implementation
Right to Data:
Strengthening
Information
Technology
(IT) Protocols
5. Altered procurement rules
ro ensure r|ar dara creared |y
_overnmenr is srored in T sysrems
w|ic| minimise r|e cosr and
dillculry ol pu|lis|in_ dara online
Be|ind sc|edule
(see lull rexr)
Exrension |uildin_
on exisrin_
implementation
6. mandating a phased introduction
of 'Public by default', delivered
through a new generation of IT
sysrems and accompanyin_ policies
Be|ind sc|edule
(see lull rexr)
Exrension |uildin_
on exisrin_
implementation
Serrin_ Srandards:
Fu|lic Dara
Principles
7. Formalising Public data
Principles arriculared |y r|e Fu|lic
Secror Transparency Board, r|rou_|
a Code ol Fracrice or oprin process
n sc|edule Mainrenance and
monitoring
N
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thematic
cLuster
synopsis
LeveL oF
compLetion
timing next steps
A|ead ol
sc|edule, |e|ind
sc|edule, or on
sc|edule?
Serrin_ Srandards:
Fu|lic Dara
Principles
8. Having in place an open data
compliance monitoring process
w|ic| ourlines |ow, w|en and w|ere
pu|lic service providers s|ould
report their progress
n sc|edule Mainrenance and
monitoring
Serrin_ Srandards:
mplemenrin_ Fu|lic
Dara Srandards
9. making clear the minimum that
citizens can expect on publication
and quality of data, includin_
compliance wir| pu|lic dara principles
n sc|edule Exrension |uildin_
on exisrin_
implementation
10. ensuring a line of continuous
improvement for public service
providers in achieving the highest
rarin_s lor r|eir pu|lis|ed dara
w|en compared a_ainsr r|e Five
Star Rating for Open Data
on exisrin_
implementation
11. encourage continuous
improvement |y adoprion ol
recommended pu|licarion lormars
appropriare ro r|e conrexr
on exisrin_
implementation
Serrin_ Srandards:
ser Feed|ack
and Accounra|iliry
Mechanisms
12. setting out how citizens can
challenge where there is failure in
the process (alr|ou_| we expecr
r|e pu|lic will rarely need ro
reverr ro r|is |ecause dara will |e
proacrively pu|lis|ed)
Be|ind sc|edule Si_nilcanr
revision of the
commitment
13. establishing an obligation to
consider and, if appropriate, act
on user feedback, even where it
|as |een collecred independenrly
ol r|e pu|lic |ody or pu|lic
service provider
revision of the
commitment
Serrin_ Srandards:
Data Licensing
14. making clear that, with very
narrow restrictions, licences must
cover free, commercial reuse with
pu|lic service providers nor normally
sellin_ dara
A|ead ol sc|edule Mainrenance and
monitoring
Serrin_ Srandards:
Meradara and Dara
Delnirions
15. merge information asset
registers, publication schemes and
other data lists into a single data
inventory, alon_side w|ic| would sir
r|e 'unlockin_ service'
Wir|drawn
NA Si_nilcanr
revision of the
commitment
N
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thematic
cLuster
synopsis
LeveL oF
compLetion
timing next steps
A|ead ol
sc|edule, |e|ind
sc|edule, or on
sc|edule?
Serrin_ Srandards:
Meradara and Dara
Delnirions
providers in achieving the highest
rarin_s lor r|eir pu|lis|ed dara
w|en compared a_ainsr r|e Five
Star Rating for Open Data
n sc|edule Si_nilcanr
revision of the
commitment
17. set consistent expectations of the
appropriate quality of metadata
revision of the
commitment
Corporate
and Fersonal
Fesponsi|iliry:
Frivacy and Fu|lic
Sector Transparency
Board
18. introducing corporate
responsibility at Transparency
Board level to ensure that the right
ro dara is |ein_ mer, |ased on r|e
Caldicorr Guardian model
n sc|edule Maintenance
and monirorin_
19. strengthening the role and
broadening the membership of
the Public sector Transparency
Board c|aired |y r|e Minisrer lor
Ca|iner llce
and monirorin_
Corporate
and Fersonal
Fesponsi|iliry:
r|er Fu|lic Secror
Transparency Boards
20. Bringing the sector
Transparency Board model to other
parts of the public sector r|ar |old
darasers ol _rearesr value
A|ead ol sc|edule Maintenance
and monirorin_
21. reviewing the existing
governance and regulatory
model lor pu|lic secror inlormarion
in government
and monirorin_
Collecrin_ and
Fu|lis|in_ r|e
Right Data: Data
Inventories
22. establishing a framework
for public service providers to
have common, consistent and
transparent data inventories
ourlinin_ w|ar darasers are |eld,
and w|er|er r|ey are open or nor
revision of the
commitment
23. developing a clear methodology
to support intelligent inventories
r|ar are priorirised |y value
revision of the
commitment
Collecrin_ and
Fu|lis|in_ r|e Fi_|r
Data: Improving
Ellciency ol Access
24. ensuring a clear process to
support a reduction in collections of
unnecessary data', w|ic| maximises
opportunities to streamline the
volume ol dara we collecr
Wir|drawn
NA Si_nilcanr
revision of the
commitment
N
O
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cLuster name synopsis
LeveL oF
compLetion
timing next steps
A|ead ol
sc|edule, |e|ind
sc|edule, or on
sc|edule?
Collecrin_ and
Fu|lis|in_ r|e Fi_|r
Data: Improving
Ellciency ol Access
25. developing dara._ov.uk and
identifying other digital channels
to support users in lndin_ and
accessin_ relevanr |i_| qualiry dara
and easy ro use rools and applicarions
and monirorin_
Maximise r|e
Opening Up of Data
26. routinely publishing evidence
and databases behind policy
statements in the way that currently
|appens around |ud_er sraremenrs
Be|ind sc|edule Exrension |uildin_
on exisrin_
implementation
27. routinely publishing the data
underlying surveys at the same time
as r|e survey analysis is pu|lis|ed
on exisrin_
implementation
28. examining ways for improving
the use of existing published data
lor policy and researc| purposes
on exisrin_
implementation
Srimulare r|e Marker
for Innovative Use of
Open Data
29. stimulate the market for
innovative use of open data by
requiring public service providers
to report each year on how they are
|uildin_ colla|orarive relarions|ips
with the user community
on exisrin_
implementation
Overseas
Development
Assistance
30. spend up to 5% of budget
support on strengthening local
accountability to support progress
lor relared GF _oals
on exisrin_
implementation
31. include the ogP eligibility
criteria and related datasets
in assessment processes to
determine readiness of partner
_overnmenrs lor K |ud_er supporr
on exisrin_
implementation
32. Publish aid information from
all government departments who
spend overseas development
assistance (odA) in line with the
nrernarional Aid Transparency
niriarive (AT) srandards
on exisrin_
implementation
N
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timing next steps
A|ead ol
sc|edule, |e|ind
sc|edule, or on
sc|edule?
nlormarion and
Communications
Technology (ICT):
Going Digital
33. Use a single domain for
government services. The
Governmenr will work ro make
cirizenlocussed rransacrional
services 'di_iral |y delaulr.' W|ere
appropriare r|is will |e done |y
usin_ Direcr_ov as r|e sin_le domain
lor cirizens ro access pu|lic services
and _overnmenr inlormarion. For
r|ose lor w|om di_iral c|annels are
less accessi|le (lor example, some
older or disadvanra_ed people) r|e
Governmenr will ena|le a nerwork ol
'assisred di_iral' service providers
n sc|edule Furr|er work
on |asic
implementation
34. To make citizens lives simpler
and easier, the government will
mandate channel shift (move online)
in selecred _overnmenr services
n sc|edule Furr|er work
on |asic
implementation
ICT: Improving
Fu|lic En_a_emenr
through ICT
35. go online for all consultations:
To lacilirare a rwoway dialo_ue wir|
cirizens, deparrmenrs will ensure
r|ar an online c|annel is included in
all government consultations
on exisrin_
implementation
36. develop practical guidelines on
departmental access to the internet
and social media channels, to
em|ed social media as a mainsrream
c|annel used rourinely ro en_a_e wir|
cirizens, |usiness and inrernally
on exisrin_
implementation
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timing next steps
A|ead ol
sc|edule, |e|ind
sc|edule, or on
sc|edule?
ICT: Improving
Interfaces
37. open data and application
interfaces in ways that encourage
businesses and social providers ro
develop new marker opporruniries
on |asic
implementation
38. Create crossgovernment
standards on automated
programming interfaces (APis) and
develop a qualiry assurance 'kiremark'
on |asic
implementation
39. establish standardised formats
for user satisfaction data so that
users can compare and conrrasr
r|eir experience ol r|e service r|ey
receive with that of others
on |asic
implementation
ICT: Developing
Open Data
Srandards
40. Provide government
documents in open standard
format: T|e lrsr wave ol compulsory
open srandards will derermine,
through open consultation, the
relevanr open srandard lor all
_overnmenr documenrs
on exisrin_
implementation
41. implement crowdsourcing and
engagement processes, to ensure
r|ar appropriare dara is rransparenr
and s|ared rar|er r|an duplicared
on exisrin_
implementation
N
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Tabel 2 | Summary of Progress by Commitment
commitment summary oF Findings
1. new power to secure release of
valuable datasets
Cluster 1. right to data: strengthening the right to datasets
Fequesrs lor inlormarion in darasers can |e made under r|e Freedom ol
nlormarion Acr 2000. T|is ser ol commirmenrs would |ave lurr|er empowered
inreresred persons ro make requesrs ol _overnmenr dara. However, |or|
commirmenrs were marked "wir|drawn" |y r|e K Governmenr in irs sell
assessmenr reporr. T|e reasons lor wir|drawal are unknown. T|ese commirmenrs
will require si_nilcanr revision ro |e included in r|e nexr p|ase ol GF acriviry.
2. new, higher cost cap for Foi
3. meaningful disincentives Cluster 2. right to data: reforming data request initiatives
T|is clusrer ol commirmenrs would srren_r|en r|e sysrem ol requesrin_ F
dara |y esra|lis|in_ disincenrives lor r|ose w|o wir||old dara and s|orrenin_
r|e porenrial appeals processes lor dara denial. T|e acrion plan does nor
specily w|ar meanin_lul disincenrives r|e _overnmenr |ad in mind. T|e FM
researc|er |as lound pro_ress in eac| ol r|ese commirmenrs ro |e limired. T|e
_overnmenr proposals do nor _o muc| lurr|er r|an r|e exisrin_ _uidance issued
ro pu|lic aur|oriries |y r|e K nlormarion Commissioner. Furr|er work on |asic
implemenrarion ol r|is commirmenr is required and is underway.
4. maximum time limits
5. Altered procurement rules Cluster 3. right to data: strengthening information Technology (iT) Protocols
Su|sranrial pro_ress |as |een made on r|ese commirmenrs, |ur, ar r|e rime
ol assessmenr, r|ey were |e|ind sc|edule. T|e scale and r|e aspirarion ol r|e
commirmenrs on Fu|lic |y Delaulr srandard and ensurin_ r|ar inlormarion
is srored in a manner r|ar makes ir capa|le ol disclosure in suira|le lormars
srrerc|es _overnmenr pracrice well |eyond r|ar w|ic| exisred |elore r|e acrion
plan. T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol r|ese commirmenrs, |uildin_
on exisrin_ implemenrarion. T|ese commirmenrs will |e delivered only w|en r|e
rec|nical capa|iliry and principles ol collecrin_, mana_in_ and disclosin_ pu|lic
dara are ali_ned.
6. mandating phased introduction of
Public by default
7. Formalising Public data Principles Cluster 4. setting standards: Public data Principles
T|e K sellassessmenr reporr descri|es r|ese commirmenrs as |avin_ |een
lulllled and on sc|edule. T|e Fu|lic Dara Frinciples |ave |een incorporared inro
r|e "pen Dara W|ire Faper" as policy lor cenrral _overnmenr deparrmenrs.
Monirorin_ underperlormance is provided |y a quarrerly wrirren Minisrerial
sraremenr ro Farliamenr, w|ic| derails deparrmenral pro_ress and ac|ievemenrs
ro r|e srandards and pu|lis|ed commirmenrs. T|ese commirmenrs _o |eyond
previous _overnmenr pracrice |y elevarin_ r|e pu|lic dara principles ro |ecome
policy lor cenrral _overnmenr deparrmenrs. T|e c|allen_e will come il perlormance
in some deparrmenrs conrinues ro |e |elow r|e srandard required. T|e quesrion
r|en is: W|ar levers will |e used |y r|e Ca|iner llce ro secure improvemenr?
8. Having in place an open data
compliance monitoring process
9. making clear the minimum citizens
can expect on publication and quality
of data
Cluster 5. setting standards: implementing Public data standards
Alr|ou_| implemenrin_ r|is ser ol commirmenrs is lar_ely on sc|edule,
assessmenr ol pro_ress is mixed. As previously indicared, wrirren Minisrerial
sraremenrs demonsrrare r|ar deparrmenral srrare_ies are nor necessarily carried
out to a satisfactory level of performance. The policy of continuous improvement
includes a commirmenr ro ac|ievin_ r|e lvesrar qualiry srandard in dara
pu|licarion. However, ac|ievin_ r|e lvesrar srandard remains aspirarional
|ecause deparrmenral commirmenrs, as ser our in r|e open dara srrare_ies, are
ro pu|lis| everyr|in_ "w|ere possi|le" ar a minimum r|reesrar qualiry. T|e FM
researc|er recommends exrension ol r|is commirmenr |y |uildin_ on exisrin_
implemenrarion. An emer_in_ issue is |ow ro make r|e inlormarion uselul and
meanin_lul ro srake|olders, rar|er r|an simply makin_ ever more dara availa|le.
providers
11. encourage continuous
improvement
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12. setting out how citizens can
challenge where there is failure
in the process
Cluster 6. setting standards: User Feedback and Accountability mechanisms
The UK selfassessment says the commitments in this cluster are partially
lulllled. T|e FM researc|er supporrs r|e conclusion r|ar pro_ress is limired.
T|e commirmenr would |ave srrerc|ed _overnmenr pracrice |y commirrin_
ro an independenr mec|anism lor c|allen_e and redress, as well as crearin_
an expecrarion r|ar cirizens could expecr cerrain minimum srandards ol dara
pu|licarion, w|ic| is provin_ dillculr ro ac|ieve across r|e |oard, |ur, as currenrly
inrerprered and implemenred, does nor srrerc| _overnmenr pracrice muc|.
Based on irs lndin_s, r|e FM researc|er recommends si_nilcanr lurr|er revision
ol r|e commirmenrs. T|e rerms ol r|e commirmenrs, as wrirren, are already
|ein_ revised and will |e consolidared w|en r|e provisions ol r|e Frorecrion ol
Freedoms Acr and irs revised code ol pracrice secrion 4S are lully in ellecr.
13. establishing an obligation to
consider and act on user feedback
14. making clear that licenses must
cover free, commercial reuse
Cluster 7. setting standards: data Licensing
T|is commirmenr |as |een complered a|ead ol sc|edule. T|e pen Governmenr
License (GL), lrsr pu|lis|ed in 2010, allows _overnmenrs ar all levels ro pu|lis| r|eir
inlormarion in a marrer compari|le wir| or|er crearive commons licenses.
T|e FM researc|er recommends mainrenance and monirorin_ ol r|is commirmenr.
15. merge information asset
registersinto a single data
inventory
CIuster 8. 5etting 5tandards: Metadata and Data Denitions
T|e _overnmenr carried our some work ro esra|lis| a sin_le dara invenrory |ur r|e
work was disconrinued in li_|r ol r|e considera|le c|allen_es posed |y r|e dillerin_
srrucrures ol _overnmenr deparrmenrs and le_acy CT sysrems. Guidance was _iven
lor meradara conrenr ro ensure consisrency ol similar darasers across deparrmenrs, |ur
work is required ro ensure r|ar deparrmenral meradara srandards relared ro individual
daraser commirmenrs are ol r|e same qualiry. T|e aspirarion ol r|e commirmenr
was ro esra|lis| w|ar dara was |eld |y r|e _overnmenr, nor |usr w|ar dara were
already pu|lis|ed or proacrively made availa|le. However, r|e rec|nical dillculries ol
collarin_ an invenrory lrom deparrmenrs r|ar srored and used dara in enrirely dillerenr
ways were roo c|allen_in_. T|erelore, si_nilcanr revision ol r|e commirmenrs is
recommended in accordance wir| r|e S|akespeare Feview (see lull reporr, secrion ).
T|e review calls lor _overnmenr and irs deparrmenrs ro idenrily core relerence dara.
16. set consistent expectations of the
appropriate quality of metadata
17. For data coordinated across
government, set denitions
18. introducing corporate
responsibility at Transparency
Board level
Cluster 9. Corporate and Personal responsibility: Privacy and Public sector
Transparency Board
T|ese commirmenrs are descri|ed |y K _overnmenr ollcials as |ein_ lulllled.
T|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board was esra|lis|ed in 2010 |elore r|e crearion
ol r|e K GF Narional Acrion Flan. r |as _iven rise ro a num|er ol rransparency
|oards in local _overnmenr, criminal |usrice, and rransporr. T|e work ol r|ese
|oards is well under way, requirin_ only mainrenance and monirorin_ ro ensure
they continue to function.
19. strengthening and broadening
the Public sector Transparency Board
20. Bringing the sector Transparency
Board model to other parts of
public sector
Cluster 10. Corporate and Personal responsibility: other Public sector
Transparency Boards
Bor| commirmenrs were complered, and r|e lrsr was complered a|ead ol
sc|edule. T|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board exisred |elore r|e acrion plan was
creared, and r|e secror rransparency |oards are narural emanarions ol r|ar model.
T|e commirmenr exrends, |ur does nor necessarily srrerc|, pracrice. T|e FM
researc|er recommends conrinued mainrenance and monirorin_ ol r|ese |oards.
21. reviewing the existing
governance and regulatory model
22. establishing a framework
for public service providers data
inventories
Cluster 11. Collecting and Publishing the right data: data inventories
T|e K Governmenr assesses r|ar r|is commirmenr "will |e lulllled." However,
ir |as indicared r|ar r|e Ca|iner llce is now lookin_ ar an innovarive way ro
collecr dara lor invenrories wir| work |e_un in Sprin_ 2013. T|e FM researc|er
lound r|ar ir will |e dillculr ro lulll r|e commirmenrs as wrirren. mmense
c|allen_es were laced |ecause ol r|e |readr| ol r|e commirmenrs. As well as
conlrmin_ dara r|ar is |eld and pu|lis|ed, r|e perceived |enelr ol r|e proposed
invenrory was ro make known r|e rype ol dara r|ar is |eld |ur nor yer pu|lis|ed.
T|is commirmenr needs si_nilcanr revision il irs _oals are ro |e mer.
23. developing a clear methodology
to support intelligent inventories
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24. ensuring a clear process to
support reduction in collection of
unnecessary data
Cluster 12. Collecting and Publishing the right data: improving
Efciency of Access
T|e K Governmenr assesses r|ar ir |as parrially lulllled r|ese commirmenrs.
r says, |owever, r|ar r|e commirmenr ro esra|lis| a clear process ro reduce r|e
collecrion ol unnecessary dara will never |e lulllled. T|e lndin_s ol r|e FM researc|er
concur and r|e commirmenr ro reduce collecrion ol unnecessary dara is |ein_ revised.
T|e approac| ro dara collecrion does nor necessarily srrerc| _overnmenr pracrice,
|ur requires a de_ree ol leaders|ip, cenrral coordinarion, commirmenr ro delivery,
and monirorin_ ro address concerns a|our porenrial duplicarion or a lack ol locus on
core darasers. T|e FM researc|er recommends si_nilcanr revision ol r|e commirmenr
|ased on r|e lndin_s ol r|e S|akespeare Feview.
25. developing dara._ov.uk and
identifying other digital channels
to support users
26. evidence and databases behind
policy statements
Cluster 13. maximise the opening Up of data
T|e K Governmenr assesses r|ar r|ese commirmenrs |ave |een parrially
lulllled. However r|e updare on pro_ress is scanr and some exrernal srake|olders
are sceprical as ro r|e de_ree ro w|ic| evidence and dara|ases |e|ind policy
sraremenrs are |ein_ rourinely pu|lis|ed. Ar |esr r|is is done on an ad |oc |asis
dependin_ on r|e arrirude ol r|e deparrmenr. T|e primary c|allen_e appears
ro |e r|e exrenr ro w|ic| deparrmenrs are prepared ro disclose evidence
and darasers |e|ind policy sraremenrs. T|e FM researc|er recommends
exrension ol r|is commirmenr |y |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion ro provide
demonsrra|le evidence r|ar rimely pu|licarion ol r|e evidence and dara|ases
|e|ind policy is |ecomin_ r|e norm, and, il ir is, ro make suc| evidence and
dara|ases readily and prominenrly availa|le.
27. data underlying surveys
28. examining ways for improving the
use of existing published data
29. stimulate the market for
innovative
use of open data
Cluster 14. stimulate the market for innovative Use of open data
T|e FM researc|er lnds r|is commirmenr |as s|own limired pro_ress and
is |e|ind sc|edule. T|e commirmenr would |ave srrerc|ed _overnmenr well
|eyond currenr pracrice. No mec|anism lor reporrin_ was in place and, per|aps
more imporranrly, decenrralised examples ol colla|orarive relarions|ips lor use
ol dara, wir|, say, r|e |usiness communiry, remain limired. T|e FM researc|er
recommends exrension ol r|e commirmenr |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion.
30. spend up to 5% of budget
support on accountability
Cluster 15. overseas development Assistance
T|e FM researc|er lound su|sranrial lulllmenr ol r|is clusrer ol commirmenrs,
and r|e K _overnmenr sellassessmenr descri|ed r|em lulllled. Alr|ou_|
r|e commirmenr ro pu|lis| aid dara ro r|e required srandard _oes |eyond r|e
currenr pracrice ol cerrain deparrmenrs, ir relecrs currenr (_ood) pracrice. T|e
K _overnmenr is a reco_nised leader in aid rransparency and was amon_ r|e
donors r|ar esra|lis|ed AT in 2008 and DFD was one ol r|e lrsr donors ro
pu|lis| ro r|e necessary srandard. T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension
|uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion. T|e immediare nexr srep is ro meer r|e
sc|edule lor improved rransparency |y all arms ol _overnmenr involved in r|e
provision ol aid wir|in r|e period sc|eduled lor delivery. Beyond r|ar, r|e FM
researc|er recommends r|ar srake|olders look ro r|e K Governmenr ro rake an
inrernarional lead on increased secroral rransparency, lor example, in exrracrive
indusrries, narural resource use, raxarion and conrracrin_, w|ic| would spur
_rearer rransparency in commercial acriviries. T|e dralr K Narional Acrion Flan
2013 indicares r|ar commirmenrs in r|ese areas are under considerarion.
31. include the ogP eligibility criteria
to determine readiness for UK
budget support
32. Publish aid information from all
odA government departments
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33. Use a single domain for
government services
Cluster 16. information and Communications Technology (iCT): going digital
Si_nilcanr pro_ress |as |een made on aspecrs ol r|ese commirmenrs. W|ile r|e
acrion plan provided no rimeline, r|e FM researc|er, |ased on inrerviews, lnds mosr
elemenrs ol r|ese commirmenrs are on rime or a|ead ol r|e sc|edule. Fe_ardin_ r|e
use ol a sin_le domain lor _overnmenr services, Gov.uk was launc|ed successlully as
parr ol r|e K Di_iral |y Delaulr iniriarive ro pur all _overnmenr rransacrional services
online. To assist the 20 per cent of UK citizens who are not online, the government
|as pu|lis|ed irs "Approac| ro Assisred Di_iral" and is currenrly resrin_ ir via 2S
"exemplar" services. Followin_ r|e cenrral _overnmenr's Di_iral |y Delaulr iniriarive
and r|e c|annel s|ilr mandare, eac| deparrmenr |as also released irs own srrare_y.
Many ol r|ese iniriarives |e_an |elore |ein_ lormalised inro r|e acrion plan. Even
so, si_nilcanr pro_ress was made, mosr imporranrly in mainrainin_ r|e momenrum
ol mandarin_ a_enrial and insrirurional uprake. T|e FM researc|er recommends
conrinued implemenrarion ol r|e commirmenr, especially expansion and monirorin_
ol r|e "Approac| ro Assisred Di_iral" ellorr.
34. mandate channel shift
35. go online for all consultations Cluster 17. iCT: improving Public engagement through iCT
W|ile r|e acrion plan provided no rimeline, mosr elemenrs ol r|ese commirmenrs seem
ro |e pro_ressin_ durin_ r|e implemenrarion period. Governmenr consulrarions are
lully online. Eac| consulrarion provides |yperlinked inlormarion a|our r|e responsi|le
deparrmenr and Minisrer as well as r|e relevanr _overnmenr policy. Felevanr
documenrarion (reporrs, proposals) is availa|le lor download as |or| FDF and MS
Word lles. T|e F policy is pu|lis|ed ar r|e |orrom ol eac| pa_e. T|e _overnmenr
pu|lis|ed irs social media _uidelines in May 2012, lullllin_ r|ar commirmenr. T|e FM
researc|er recommends expansion |uildin_ on r|e exisrin_ commirmenr.
36. develop practical guidelines on
departmental access to internet and
social media
37. open data and application
interfaces in ways that encourage
businesses
Cluster 18. iCT: improving interfaces
T|e specilc commirmenrs ro open dara lor |usiness and AF srandards are incomplere
ar r|e rime ol wririn_ and will nor |e complered durin_ r|e implemenrarion period lor
r|e currenr acrion plan. Bor| r|e open dara lor |usiness and cross_overnmenr AF
srandards commirmenrs were wairin_ on r|e provision ol open AF access ro conrenr
and dara ar _ov.uk, expecred in cro|er 2013. Fro_ress on r|e commirmenr on
srandardized lormars lor user sarislacrion is limired. T|e FM recommends lurr|er work
on |asic implemenrarion, eir|er |y renewin_ r|e commirmenr in r|e nexr acrion plan or
clarilyin_ and possi|ly accelerarin_ r|e rimera|le lor provision ol open AF access.
38. Create crossgovernment
standards on APis
39. establish standardised formats
for usersatisfaction data
40. Provide government documents
in open standard format
Cluster 19. iCT: developing open data standards
T|rou_| a process ol open consulrarion, r|e _overnmenr released r|e pen
Srandards Frinciples in Novem|er 2012 (accordin_ ro r|e sellassessmenr) and
updared ir in April 2013. Belore r|e Governmenr Di_iral Service (GDS) could
pro_ress wir| r|is commirmenr, ir |eld pu|lic consulrarion ro clarily irs delnirion
ol open srandards. T|e _overnmenr launc|ed r|e crowdsourcin_ plarlorm,
Srandards Hu|, currenrly in |era, w|ere ir pu|lis|es c|allen_es and invires r|e
pu|lic ro commenr in pu|lic lorums, commenr on or|er useridenriled c|allen_es,
and develop proposals. T|e _overnmenr adopred a royalrylree delnirion ol open
srandards r|ar ena|les GDSs open srandards ro |e implemenred in |or| open
source and proprierary solrware. T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol r|is
commirmenr in r|e nexr acrion plan, |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion.
41. implement crowdsourcing
and engagement processes
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General ObservatIOns and recOmmendatIOns
n addirion ro r|e recommendarions lor eac| commirmenr lisred in Ta|le 2,
a num|er ol crosscurrin_ o|servarional recommendarions impacr |or| r|e
remainin_ implemenrarion ol r|e lrsr nired Kin_dom acrion plan and r|e
developmenr and implemenrarion ol r|e nexr version.
Followin_ a consulrarion period lrom 27 June ro 1 Seprem|er, r|e nexr
K acrion plan was ro |e pu|lis|ed 31 cro|er 2013. ndicarions are
r|ar new plan will exrend irs scope ro address r|e _rand c|allen_es ol
"increasin_ corporare accounra|iliry," and "implemenrin_ r|e |i_|esr
srandards ol prolessional inre_riry r|rou_|our our adminisrrarions," in
addirion ro r|e exisrin_ commirmenrs ol "improvin_ pu|lic services"
and "more ellecrively mana_in_ pu|lic resources."
n developin_ r|e dralr, parricipanrs said r|ey were en_a_ed in a process
ol coproducrion. However, r|e process may |ave _iven rise ro |ei_|rened
expecrarions as ro r|e evenrual ourcome. Ar r|e rime ol r|is review, r|ere
was concern r|ar several ol r|e issues and proposed commirmenrs raised
|y civil sociery or_anisarions |ad |een placed in an annex rar|er r|an in
r|e main |ody ol r|e dralr narional acrion plan. Some srake|olders lormed
r|e impression r|ar a rradeoll was rakin_ place, wir| r|e requiremenr
ro pu|lis| more dara |ein_ rempered |y r|e prospecr ol _overnmenr
measures ro in|i|ir r|e volume ol responses ro F requesrs.
llcials inrerviewed reco_nised r|ar r|e lrsr acrion plan was |eavily
inluenced |y w|ar _overnmenr was already doin_ or planned ro do, wir|
a parricular locus on open dara. T|ey valued r|e coproducrion approac|
and lelr r|e _overnmenr s|ould reco_nise r|e added value policies _ain
w|en r|ey are developed r|rou_| an exc|an_e ol diverse ideas and
conrri|urions lrom experrs and r|ose w|o work on r|e _round.
W|ile r|e 201213 process ol developin_ r|e GF acrion plan may |ave
improved, and leed|ack lrom r|ose involved |as |een posirive, ir is
nor wir|our lamiliar lailin_s. r en_a_ed a limired num|er ol civil sociery
or_anisarions, mosr ol r|em |ased in London. T|ere was lirrle evidence r|ar
r|e devolved adminisrrarions in Scorland, Wales and Norr|ern reland were
en_a_ed in r|e process ol a_reein_ on a K GF plan norwir|srandin_ r|ar
some ol r|e o||ecrives lall wir|in r|e scope ol r|eir responsi|iliry. Given
r|ar GF acrion plans s|ould include all relevanr acrors, |or| rar_ers and
|enelciaries, r|is lack ol en_a_emenr s|ould |e addressed.
the centreFoi was established as
a joint venture between the school
of Law and the scottish information
commissioner, and is focussed on
the implementation, interpretation
and enforcement of laws that
provide rights to information.
ogp aims to secure
concrete commitments
from governments to
promote transparency,
empower citizens, Ight corruption,
and harness new technologies to
strengthen governance. ogps
independent reporting mechanism
assesses development and
implementation of national action
plans in order to foster dialogue
among stakeholders and improve
accountability.
elIGIbIlIty
requIrements: 2011
To participate in OGP, governments
musr demonsrrare commirmenr ro
open _overnmenr |y meerin_ minimum
crireria on key dimensions ol open
_overnmenr. T|irdparry indicarors
are used ro derermine counrry
pro_ress on eac| ol r|e dimensions.
For more information, visit:
www.open_ovparrners|ip.or_/eli_i|iliry
BUdgeT TrAnsPArenCy:
4 OUT OF 4
ACCess To inFormATion:
LAW ENACTED
AsseT disCLosUre:
4 OUT OF 4
CiviC PArTiCiPATion:
9.12 OUT OF 10
INDEPENDENT
REPORTING MECHANISM
The open government Partnership (ogP) is a voluntary, multistakeholder international
initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to their
citizenry to promote transparency, empower citizens, gbt corruption, and barness
new technologies to strengthen governance. in pursuit of these goals, ogP provides
an international forum for dialogue and sharing among governments, civil society
organizations, and the private sector, all of which contribute to a common pursuit of open
government. ogP stakeholders include participating governments as well as civil society
and private sector entities that support the principles and mission of ogP.
I | BACKGROUND
T|e nired Kin_dom (K), one ol ei_|r loundin_ counrries
ol r|e pen Governmenr Farrners|ip, |e_an irs lormal
parriciparion in Seprem|er 2011, w|en Ca|iner llce
Minisrer Francis Maude launc|ed r|e iniriarive alon_
wir| or|er |eads ol srare and minisrers in New York.
To parricipare in GF, _overnmenrs musr ex|i|ir a
demonsrrared commirmenr ro open _overnmenr
|y meerin_ a ser ol minimum perlormance crireria
on key dimensions ol open _overnmenr r|ar are
parricularly consequenrial lor increasin_ _overnmenr
responsiveness, strengthening citizen engagement,
and l_|rin_ corruprion. ndicarors produced |y
or_anizarions or|er r|an GF are used ro derermine
r|e exrenr ol counrry pro_ress on eac| ol r|e
dimensions, wir| poinrs awarded as descri|ed |elow.
T|e K enrered inro r|e parrners|ip exceedin_ r|e
minimal requiremenrs lor eli_i|iliry, wir| a |i_| score in
eac| ol r|e crireria. Ar r|e rime ol |oinin_, r|e counrry
|ad r|e |i_|esr possi|le rankin_ lor "open |ud_ers"
(2 our ol a possi|le 2),
1
an access to information law,
2

r|e |i_|esr possi|le rankin_s in "asser disclosure lor
senior ollcials,"
3
and a score ol .12 our ol a possi|le
10 on the Economist Intelligence Units Democracy
ndex Civil Li|erries su|score.
4
All GF parriciparin_ _overnmenrs musr develop
GF counrry acrion plans r|ar ela|orare concrere
commirmenrs over an inirial rwoyear period.
Governmenrs s|ould |e_in r|eir acrion plans |y
s|arin_ exisrin_ ellorrs relared ro a ser ol lve "_rand
c|allen_es," includin_ specilc open _overnmenr
srrare_ies and on_oin_ pro_rammes. (See Secrion
v lor a complere lisrin_ ol _rand c|allen_e areas.)
Acrion plans s|ould r|en ser our eac| _overnmenr's
OGP commitments, which stretch government practice
|eyond irs currenr |aseline wir| respecr ro r|e relevanr
_rand c|allen_e. T|ese commirmenrs may |uild on
exisrin_ ellorrs, idenrily new sreps ro complere on
going reforms, or initiate action in an entirely new area.
Alon_ wir| r|e or|er loundin_ mem|ers ol GF, r|e
nired Kin_dom developed irs narional acrion plan
lrom July r|rou_| Seprem|er 2011. T|e ellecrive
srarr dare lor r|e acrion plan su|mirred in Seprem|er
was ollcially January 1 wir| implemenrarion runnin_
r|rou_| Decem|er 31, 2012. T|e _overnmenr
pu|lis|ed irs sellassessmenr durin_ April ol 2013.
Ar r|e rime ol wririn_ (Au_usr 2013), ollcials and civil
sociery mem|ers were carryin_ our consulrarions on
r|e second narional acrion plan.
Fursuanr ro GF requiremenrs, r|e ndependenr
Feporrin_ Mec|anism (FM) ol GF |as parrnered
wir| wir| Kevin Dunion ol r|e Cenrre lor Freedom ol
nlormarion ar r|e niversiry ol Dundee, Scorland,
w|o carried our an evaluarion ol r|e developmenr
and implemenrarion ol r|e nired Kin_dom's lrsr
acrion plan, w|ic| lorms r|e |asis lor r|is reporr. r
is r|e aim ol r|e FM ro inlorm on_oin_ dialo_ue
around developmenr and implemenrarion ol
future commitments in each OGP participating
counrry. Mer|ods and sources are dealr wir| in a
mer|odolo_ical annex in r|is reporr.
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InstItutIOnal cOntext
GF in r|e nired Kin_dom is led |y r|e Ca|iner
llce Transparency Team.
5
Accordin_ ro a Narional
Audir llce reporr, "T|e Ca|iner llce plays r|e lead
role in promoting transparency across government.
r is responsi|le lor coordinarin_ and monirorin_
implemenrarion, secrerariar supporr ro a Fu|lic
Secror Transparency Board, |rin_in_ ro_er|er ollcials
ro em|ed rransparency across _overnmenr, and
providin_ _uidance on some ol r|e releases required
ol all _overnmenr deparrmenrs."
6
T|e Minisrer lor r|e Ca|iner llce makes a wrirren
Minisrerial sraremenr, layin_ a reporr on deparrmenral
open dara commirmenrs and ad|erence ro pu|lic dara
principles |elore Farliamenr. n r|e early days ol r|is
a_enda, r|e Frime Minisrer issued lerrers ro Secreraries
ol Srare idenrilyin_ acrions ro rake.
7
As the activity
around open dara moves ro a more |usinessasusual
p|ase, iniriarive is encoura_ed ro come
lrom deparrmenrs.
GF in r|e nired Kin_dom rakes place wir|in a
|roader conrexr ol or|er open dara and rransparency
iniriarives. A num|er ol consulrarive _roups were
esra|lis|ed, some prior ro r|e GF acrion plan, suc|
as r|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board and as well
as r|e pen Dara sers Group. T|ese _roups include
specialisrs in |andlin_ pu|lic secror dara and dara
experrs lrom |usiness and academia.
Addirionally, numerous relerences are made ro r|e
S|akespeare Feview, a _overnmenrinvired review
ol r|e nired Kin_dom's open dara policies and
pracrices. n s|orr, r|e review recommended srrare_ic
elemenrs in releasin_ dara:
Feco_nize and clarily pu|lic owners|ip ol
_overnmenrproduced dara.
Develop a rwinrrack model lor pu|licarion ol dara
wir| one rrack ol "imperlecr dara" released early
and a__ressively and anor|er "|i_|qualiry" rrack
pu|lis|ed ro a |i_| srandard.
Drive implemenrarion r|rou_| a |i_|visi|iliry,
transparent channel.
nvesr in insrirurional capaciry ro ensure r|ar dara
is made uselul.
Ensure r|ar privacy is prorecred w|ile maximizin_
dara release lor economic and policy purposes.
T|e S|akespeare Feview and irs relarions|ip ro GF
are descri|ed in _rearer derail in r|e lasr secrion,
"Movin_ Forward."
Two or|er relerences are made ol imporrance ro
r|e reader. ne is r|e "Caldicorr _uardian model."
'Caldicorr _uardians' are senior mem|ers ol Narional
Healr| Service (NHS) srall wir| a responsi|iliry ro
ensure parienr dara |eld |y r|e NHS is kepr secure
alrer a reporr wrirren |y Dame Fiona Caldicorr lound
weakness in |ow suc| conldenrial dara was |eld.
T|e second relerence is r|e lvesrar model ol open
dara. T|is model is a conrinuum descri|in_ r|e qualiry
ol we| pu|lis|in_:
Make dara availa|le on r|e we| in any lormar.
Make dara availa|le as srrucrured, mac|ine
reada|le dara.
Fu|lis| in a nonproprierary lormar (e._., Comma
Separared value lormars insread ol Microsolr Excel).
se FLs wir| srandards ro poinr people ro dara
from elsewhere.
Link dara ro or|er dara ro provide conrexr.
W|ile r|ese relerences are nor made r|rou_| all r|e
commirmenrs, r|ey _ive some idea ol r|e conrexr and
emphasis of the action plan.
methOdOlOGIcal nOte
T|e FM reporr |uilds on exisrin_ work |y _overnmenr
and civil sociery in assessin_ and carryin_ our GF
acriviries, arremprin_ ro _er as wide a ran_e ol relevanr
voices as possi|le. T|e reader is encoura_ed ro review
key documenrs prepared |y r|e _overnmenr ro pur
r|is reporr in conrexr: r|e K's lrsr acrion plan
8
and r|e
sellassessmenr pu|lis|ed |y r|e _overnmenr in April
2013.
9
Numerous relerences will |e made ro eac| ol
r|ese documenrs r|rou_|our r|is reporr.
As part of the IRMs role in gathering the voices of
mulriple srake|olders, r|e FM K researc|er carried our
inrerviews wir| ollcials and civil sociery, includin_ r|rou_|
a srake|older lorum lormarred as a locus _roup.
TOC
i
|
bACkground
|
17
Ar r|e requesr ol r|e K Governmenr only senior
_overnmenr ollcials are idenriled |y name, |unior
ollcials are idenriled as 'llcial 1,' 'llcial 2,' erc.
Mer|ods and sources are dealr wir| more complerely
in a mer|odolo_ical annex in r|is reporr.
1
open budget partnership, open budgets Change Lives, (Washington, dC: open budget partnership, 2012), |rrp://|ir.ly/vSdcFl
2
united kingdom, Freedom of information Act, 2000, |rrp://|ir.ly/lF3nn
3
djankov, simeon, rafael La porta, Florencio Lopezdesilanes, and Andrei shleifer, disclosure by politicians, tuck school of business Working paper 200960 (2009), |rrp://|ir.ly/1nDElK;
organisation for economic Cooperation and development (oeCd), types of information decision makers Are required to Formally disclose, and Level of transparency, in government
at a glance 2009, (oeCd, 2009), 132, |rrp://|ir.ly/13vGrqS; ricard messick, income and Asset disclosure by World bank Client Countries, (Washington, dC: World bank, 2009),
|rrp://|ir.ly/1cokyl
4
economist intelligence unit, 2010, democracy index 2010: democracy in retreat, economist, London, |rrp://|ir.ly/eLC1rE
5
Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Coblnef Cllce, 15 Moy 2013. The Noflonol Audlf Cllce, "lmplemenflng Tronsporency," reporf, 18 Aprll 2012.
6
Noflonol Audlf Cllce, "lmplemenflng Tronsporency," reporf, 18 Aprll 2012.
7
Dovld Comeron, leffer fo Coblnef Mlnlsfers on fronsporency ond open dofo, 7 July 2011. |rrp://|ir.ly/1e0SFy, Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
8
nlfed Klngdom, 2011, "Enhonclng Fubllc Servlce Dellvery lor Cpen Governmenf," Cpen Governmenf Frogrom Noflonol Acflon Flon, submlffed Sepfember 2011. Governmenf ol fhe
nlfed Klngdom, London. |rrp://|ir.ly/1aKF3ad
9
nlfed Klngdom, 2013, "Cpen Governmenf Frogrom K 2011 Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf," Governmenf ol fhe nlfed Klngdom, London. |rrp://|ir.ly/1dMFy3
TOC
18
|
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|
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ii
|
proCess deVeLopment oF ACtion pLAn
|
19
Countries participating in ogP are required to follow a process for consultation during
development of their action plan.
II | PROCESS: DEVELOPMENT
OF ACTION PLAN
OGP GuIdelInes
Countries must:
Make r|e derails ol r|eir pu|lic consulrarion process
and rimeline availa|le (online ar minimum) prior ro
the consultation.
Consulr widely wir| r|e narional communiry, includin_
civil sociery and r|e privare secror, seek our a diverse
ran_e ol views, and make a summary ol r|e pu|lic
consulrarion and all individual wrirren commenr
su|missions availa|le online.
nderrake GF awarenessraisin_ acriviries ro
en|ance pu|lic parriciparion in r|e consulrarion.
Consulr r|e popularion wir| sullcienr lorewarnin_ and
r|rou_| a variery ol mec|anismsincludin_ online
and r|rou_| inperson meerin_sro ensure r|e
accessi|iliry ol opporruniries lor cirizens ro en_a_e.
A llr| requiremenr, durin_ consulrarion, is ser our
in Section C of the OGP Articles of Governance,
"Consulrarion durin_ mplemenrarion":
Counrries musr idenrily a lorum ro ena|le
re_ular mulrisrake|older consulrarion on GF
implemenrarion r|rou_| an exisrin_ or new enriry.
PrIOr nOtIce and cOnsultatIOn
On actIOn Plan
T|e exrenr ro w|ic| r|ere was specilc consulrarion
on r|e K narional acrion plan prior or su|sequenr ro
su|mission is open ro quesrion. Neir|er r|e process lor
pu|lic consulrarion nor a rimeline were availa|le prior
to consultation.
A lormal and exrensive consulrarion on a relared
_overnmenr iniriarive was conrained in r|e _overnmenr
documenr "Makin_ pen Dara Feal." By r|e deadline lor
conrri|urions in cro|er 2011, over S00 responses |ad |een
received.
1
However, r|is process did nor consrirure a specilc
consultation on the OGP action plan, which was more
widereac|in_ and conrained or|er am|irious proposals
suc| as r|e ri_|r ro dara lor w|ic| r|ere appeared ro |ave
|een insullcienr prior consulrarion. (T|is lack ol prior
considerarion may |ave conrri|ured ro r|e limired pro_ress
on some ol r|ese commirmenrs, in parricular, ro r|ose r|ar
r|e K Governmenr su|sequenrly decided ro wir|draw.)
T|e K Governmenr proposed pu|lic consulrarions
on irs acrion plan alrer su|mirrin_ ir ro r|e GF. r
said consulrarions would |e made via irs Fu|lic Secror
Transparency Board and also |y convenin_ and consulrin_
wir| a wider _roup ol srake|olders specilcally ro consider
r|e counrry plan. However, ir is nor clear ro w|ar exrenr
srrucrured exrernal consulrarion rook place, il ar all. r
seems dou|rlul r|ar any wrirren su|missions re_ardin_ r|e
2011 acrion plan were received as parr ol a consulrarive
process, none were availa|le online. Ar r|e rime ol
researc|, no record could |e locared as ro w|ic| privare
secror and nonprolr or_anizarions or privare cirizens |ad
made conrri|urions. (llcials w|o may |ave known were
eir|er no lon_er in r|eir posirions or were unavaila|le.
T|ere was no online marerial re_ardin_ consulrarions.)
n inrerviews, ollcials accepred r|ar lorewarnin_ norice and
prior consulrarion were nor adequare. T|e inadequacies
were per|aps implicirly acknowled_ed w|en r|e K
Governmenr we|sire announcin_ a consulrarion on r|e
OGP UK Action Plan 2011 SelfAssessment Report, which
nored, "T|e lrsr K Acrion Flan was dralred in r|e very
early days ol r|e GF, w|en we and our parrners were
still clarifying the scope of civil society engagement,
implemenrarion periods, reviewin_ mec|anisms and so on."
2
1
uk seeks public Comments on open data policy, 5 August 2011, Freedom Info, |rrp://|ir.ly/18|_nr; united kingdom, making data real A public Consultation,
August 2011, |rrp://|ir.ly/1So3EZC
2
Dofo.gov.uk Teom. 2013. "CGF K Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf," Data.gov.uk Blog. 2 Aprll 2013. |rrp://|ir.ly/XMFy
TOC
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iii
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proCess: ConsuLtAtion during impLementAtion
|
21
1
K Coblnef Mlnlsfer. 2012. Cpen Dofo Whlfe Foper: nleoshlng fhe Fofenflol (CM8353 June 2012). London: Coblnef Mlnlsfer's Cllce, CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, 1 Moy 2013,
Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Cllclol 1, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, Moy 2013.
2
public sector transparency board, |rrp://|ir.ly/14LryqN; open data users group |rrp://|ir.ly/1dov3L; Welfare sector transparency board, |rrp://|ir.ly/18ywqr
3
Cllclol 1, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, Moy 2013, Clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, Moy 2013.
4
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013.
rather than a single multistakeholder forum addressing all aspects of the action plan,
a number of consultative and progresschasing initiatives were developed or expanded
during implementation.
III | PROCESS: CONSULTATION
DURING IMPLEMENTATION
T|ese iniriarives locussed principally on deliverin_ elemenrs
ol r|e acrion plan relared ro r|e "pen Dara W|ire Faper."
1

T|ese ellorrs included r|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency
Board, r|e Wellare Secror Transparency Board, and r|e
Open Data Users Group.
2
These relatively small groups
|ave a selecr mem|ers|ip drawn lrom indusrry, academia,
and non_overnmenral or_anisarions, as well as lrom
_overnmenr and or|er pu|lic |odies. T|is secroral and
locussed approac| may lead ro _rearer owners|ip and
delivery ol cerrain GF commirmenr ourpurs, |ur runs r|e
risks arrac|ed ro exclusiviry and ol represenrin_ only r|ose
selecred |y _overnmenr.
T|e civil sociery lorum or_anized |y r|e researc|er
discussed aspecrs ol implemenrarion, |ur srake|olders
inrerviewed |ad only limired recall ol r|e plan. Many
ol r|em saw r|e acrion plan as dominared |y rec|nical
and procedural marrers re_ardin_ r|e _overnmenr's
own inrernal processes ro open up irs dara. Civil sociery
srake|olders were more locussed on discussion ol r|e
conrenr ol a revised acrion plan.
llcials said r|ar r|e civil sociery lorum's process
|ad si_nilcanr s|orrcomin_s as a mec|anism lor
consulrarion, and r|ey were locussed on improvin_
r|e process lor r|e nexr plan.
3
Meerin_s ol civil sociery _roups rook place mainly
in London.
4
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22
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TOC
iV
|
impLementAtion oF Commitments
|
23
IV | IMPLEMENTATION
OF COMMITMENTS
All ogP participating governments are to develop ogP country action plans
that elaborate concrete commitments over a twoyear period.
Governmenrs |e_in r|eir GF counrry acrion plans |y
s|arin_ exisrin_ ellorrs relared ro r|eir c|osen _rand
c|allen_e(s), includin_ specilc open _overnmenr
srrare_ies and on_oin_ pro_rams. Acrion plans r|en
set out governments OGP commitments, which stretch
_overnmenr pracrice |eyond irs currenr |aseline wir|
respecr ro r|e relevanr _rand c|allen_e (see |elow).
T|ese commirmenrs may |uild on exisrin_ ellorrs,
idenrily new sreps ro complere on_oin_ relorms, or
initiate action in an entirely new area.
GF commirmenrs are ro |e srrucrured around a ser
ol lve "_rand c|allen_es" r|ar _overnmenrs lace.
GF reco_nizes r|ar counrries srarr lrom dillerenr
|aselines. Counrries selecr r|e _rand c|allen_es and
relared concrere commirmenrs r|ar mosr relare ro r|eir
unique conrexrs. No acrion plan, srandard, or specilc
commirmenr is lorced on any counrry.
T|e lve GF _rand c|allen_es are:
1. Improving Public Servicesmeasures r|ar ad-
dress r|e lull specrrum ol cirizen services includin_
|ealr|, educarion, criminal |usrice, warer, elecrriciry,
relecommunicarions, and any or|er relevanr service
areas |y losrerin_ pu|lic service improvemenr or
private sector innovation.
2. Increasing Public Integritymeasures r|ar ad-
dress corruprion and pu|lic er|ics, access ro inlor-
marion, campai_n lnance relorm, and media and
civil sociery lreedom.
3. More Effectively Managing Public Resources
measures r|ar address |ud_ers, procuremenr,
narural resources, and lorei_n assisrance.
4. Creating Safer Communitiesmeasures that
address pu|lic salery, r|e securiry secror, disasrer
and crisis response, and environmenral r|rears.
5. Increasing Corporate Accountabilitymeasures
r|ar address corporare responsi|iliry on issues suc|
as the environment, anticorruption, consumer
prorecrion, and communiry en_a_emenr.
W|ile r|e narure ol concrere commirmenrs under
any _rand c|allen_e area s|ould |e lexi|le and
allow lor eac| counrry's unique circumsrances, all
GF commirmenrs s|ould relecr lour core open
government principles:
Transparencyinformation on government activi-
ries and decisions is open, compre|ensive, rimely,
lreely availa|le ro r|e pu|lic and meers |asic open
dara srandards (e._., raw dara, mac|ine reada|iliry).
Citizen Participation_overnmenrs seek ro mo-
|ilise cirizens ro en_a_e in pu|lic de|are, provide
inpur, and make conrri|urions r|ar lead ro more
responsive, innovarive and ellecrive _overnance.
Accountabilityr|ere are rules, re_ularions, and
mechanisms in place that call upon government actors
ro |usrily r|eir acrions, acr upon criricisms or require-
menrs made ol r|em, and accepr responsi|iliry lor lail-
ure to perform with respect to laws or commitments.
Technology and Innovation_overnmenrs em|race
r|e imporrance ol providin_ cirizens wir| open access
ro rec|nolo_y, r|e role ol new rec|nolo_ies in driv-
in_ innovarion, and r|e imporrance ol increasin_ r|e
capacity of citizens to use technology.
Countries may focus their commitments at the
narional, local and/or su|narional levelw|erever r|ey
|elieve r|eir open _overnmenr ellorrs are ro |ave r|e
greatest impact.
Recognizing that achieving open government
commitments often involves a multiyear process,
_overnmenrs s|ould arrac| rimelrames and
TOC
24
|
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|
|enc|marks ro r|eir commirmenrs r|ar indicare w|ar is
ro |e accomplis|ed eac| year, w|erever possi|le.
T|is secrion derails eac| ol r|e commirmenrs r|e
nired Kin_dom included in irs inirial acrion plan. T|e
K commirmenrs |ave |een _ar|ered inro 1 clusrers
ol relared commirmenrs |ecause several commirmenrs
are closely relared and r|e measures raken ro lulll r|em
eir|er si_nilcanrly overlap or are |errer undersrood
wir|in a conrexrual relarions|ip ro or|er commirmenrs.
Clustering also limits the repetition of sources,
improvin_ r|e uselulness ol r|is reporr lor r|e reader.
To r|e |esr ol r|e aur|or's a|iliry, r|e order ol
commirmenrs |as |een preserved lrom r|e lrsr version
ol r|e acrion plan. T|e lull rexrs ol r|e commirmenrs
|ave |een li_|rly edired ro marc| r|e lormar ol
this report.
TOC
iV
|
|
25
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeAd insTiTUTion Ca|iner llce
sUPPorTing insTiTUTions Unclear
PoinT oF ConTACT sPeCiFied? No
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Tec|nolo_y and innovarion
ogP grAnd CHALLenges mprovin_ pu|lic services
sPeCiFiCiTy oF goAL High
ACTion or PLAn Carry out action
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
1. new Power
oF reLeAse
2. CosT CAP
For Foi
nexT sTePs Si_nilcanr revision ol r|e commirmenr
Cluster 1 | Right to Data: Strengthening the Right to Datasets
Full text of the commitments
Right to data: Stronger rights to empower citizens
to obtain data from the public sector, including:
a new power held by appropriate independent or-
ganisations to secure the release of valuable public
datasets, with a suitable format, quality, and regular-
ity of publication;
a new, higher cost cap for government provision of
freedom of Information (FOI) data procured after
July 2012.
what happened?
Fequesrs lor inlormarion in darasers can |e made under
r|e Freedom ol nlormarion Acr 2000 (F Acr), w|ic| is
enlorced |y r|e K nlormarion Commissioner ro w|om
appeals can |e made il darasers are nor provided in
response ro requesrs. T|is ser ol commirmenrs would
|ave lurr|er empowered inreresred persons ro make
requesrs ol _overnmenr dara.
However, |or| commirmenrs were marked "wir|drawn"
|y r|e K Governmenr in irs sellassessmenr reporr.
No new powers |ave |een _iven ro independenr
or_anisarions. A new |i_|er cosr cap lor darasers
requesred under r|e provisions ol r|e Freedom ol
nlormarion Acr 2000 |as nor |een inrroduced, and
r|ere is no apparenr inrenrion ro do so.
1
The cost cap
refers to the amount that a government agency can
spend ro lll an F requesr. Faisin_ r|e cosr cap means
r|e a_ency would |ave ro lll requesrs r|ar required
more srall rime and marerials.
T|e reasons lor wir|drawal are unknown. Fer|aps
r|e exisrin_ powers availa|le ro r|e K nlormarion
Commissioner were insullcienrly appreciared. For
example, r|e commissioner |ad r|e power ro en_a_e
wir| pu|lic aur|oriries ro ensure r|ar valua|le pu|lic
darasers were included in lurure pu|licarion sc|emes.
r is nor clear w|ar independenr or_anisarions were
in mind w|en r|is commirmenr was made, nor r|e
srarurory |asis on w|ic| r|ese powers would |e
conlerred upon r|em.
Aur|oriries can reluse ro respond ro F requesrs r|ar
would cosr r|e cenrral _overnmenr more r|an o00 or
WlTHDRAWN
WlTHDRAWN
(CuRREnT) not
stArted Limited substAntiAL CompLete
(PROJECTED)
WlTHDRAWN
WlTHDRAWN
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
TOC
26
|
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|
or|er aur|oriries more r|an 4S0. T|e commirmenr ro
raise these upper limits was apparently to prevent cost
lrom in|i|irin_ r|e disclosure ol darasers in response ro
F requesrs, parricularly il r|e derails were requesred
in a specilc lormar. However, r|ere is lirrle evidence r|ar
cosr |as |een r|e reason darasers |ave nor
|een disclosed.
2
T|ese commirmenrs may |e our ol sync| wir| an
overarc|in_ _overnmenr rrend ro reduce re_ularory
|urdens. T|e K _overnmenr made clear in irs response
to the Justice Select Committees postlegislative
scruriny ol r|e F Acr r|ar ir inrends ro review r|e
circumsrances in w|ic| requesrs can |e relused on cosr
_rounds, w|ic| could lower r|e cap, makin_ ir more,
rar|er r|an less, likely r|ar inlormarion can |e wir||eld
in response ro F requesrs.
did it matter?
T|ese commirmenrs |ave nor |een implemenred. Had
r|ey |een implemenred, r|ey would |ave srrerc|ed
_overnmenr pracrice |eyond r|ar w|ic| exisred |elore
r|e acrion plan was creared |y crearin_ new powers and
requirin_ an amendmenr ro currenr re_ularions cappin_
r|e _overnmenr cosrs lor lllin_ F requesrs. Some
ol r|e aspirarions could srill |e mer |y urilisin_ r|e K
nlormarion Commissioner's exisrin_ powers, suc| as
r|e power ro ad|udicare on appeals a_ainsr relusal |y
aur|oriries ro disclose darasers in response ro specilc
F requesrs or |y includin_ core darasers in r|e
approved pu|licarion sc|emes ol pu|lic aur|oriries.
3

moving forward
T|ese commirmenrs will require si_nilcanr revision
ro |e included in r|e nexr p|ase ol GF acriviry. T|e
government may have to revisit some of the issues left
undecided |y r|e wir|drawal ol r|ese commirmenrs.
Cosr limirs: T|e exrenr ro w|ic| darasers can |e
disclosed |y pu|lic aur|oriries in r|e specilc lormar
sou_|r |y requesrers, wir|in r|e exisrin_ upper cosr
limirs, is yer ro |e esra|lis|ed. l r|e K Govern-
ments response to the postlegislative scrutiny of the
F Acr causes r|e upper cosr limir ro |e lowered, ir
is likely ro run conrrary ro r|e assumprions in r|e K
Governmenr's sellassessmenr reporr r|ar exisrin_
provisions lor lllin_ F requesrs are sullcienr.
Delnirion ol core darasers and model sc|emes:
W|ile darasers could |e added ro r|e pu|licarion
sc|emes ol pu|lic aur|oriries, some specilc acrions
would need ro |e raken. T|ese acrions include a
sysremaric pro_ramme ol a_reein_ on core pu|lic
darasers, a revision ol model pu|licarion sc|emes,
and _uidance ro include r|ese darasers, accompa-
nied |y scruriny r|rou_| r|e pu|licarion sc|eme
approval process.
Exrernally |eld darasers: Finally, civil sociery
or_anisarions (CSs) are concerned r|ar some
darasers may |e |eld |y |odies providin_ pu|lic
services, |ur w|ic| are no lon_er su||ecr ro r|e
F Acr |ecause ol c|an_es in r|e manner in
w|ic| pu|lic services |ave |een delivered
(e.g., private contractors).
4

1
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood, heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013.
2
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood ,heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013, Mourlce Fronkel,
Dlrecfor, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, London, lnfervlew, 1 Moy 2013.
3
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013.
4
Mourlce Fronkel, Dlrecfor, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, lnfervlew, 1 Moy 2013, CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, 1 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery,
lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013, CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, 1 Moy 2013.
TOC
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27
Right to data: Stronger rights to empower for citizens
to obtain data from the public sector, including:
meaningful disincentives for public bodies and pub-
lic servants found to have withheld data that should
have been released;
maximum time limits for how long public bodies can
review appeals against FOI Act refusals.
what happened?
T|is clusrer ol commirmenrs would srren_r|en r|e sysrem
ol requesrin_ F dara |y esra|lis|in_ disincenrives lor
r|ose w|o wir||old dara and s|orrenin_ r|e porenrial
appeals processes lor dara denial.
T|e K Governmenr's sellassessmenr reporr indicared
r|ar ir |as parrially lulllled r|e commirmenr ro pur
in place "meanin_lul disincenrives lor pu|lic |odies
and pu|lic servanrs lound ro |ave wir||eld dara
r|ar s|ould |ave |een released" |y _ivin_ r|e K
nlormarion Commissioner lon_er ro prosecure alle_ed
ollences under secrion 77 ol r|e F Acr.
T|e acrion plan does nor specily w|ar meanin_lul
disincenrives r|e _overnmenr |ad in mind. r is
reasona|le ro assume r|ar disincenrives would include
adminisrrarive sancrions or penalries. By conrrasr, r|e
specilc sancrion r|e K Governmenr says ir inrends
ro pur in place would |ave ellecr only |y way ol
prosecurion, w|ere pu|lic ollcials |ad acred unlawlully
under r|e rerms ol secrion 77 ol r|e F Acr |y
desrroyin_, alrerin_, or concealin_ records |eld |y r|e
aur|oriry wir| r|e inrenrion ol prevenrin_ r|e disclosure
ol all or any parr ol r|e inlormarion requesred.
T|e sellassessmenr reporr descri|es pro_ress on
r|e commirmenr ro insrirure maximum rime limirs lor
|ow lon_ pu|lic |odies can review appeals a_ainsr
F Acr relusals as |ein_ "in pro_ress" and nores r|ar
r|e _overnmenr is "minded ro amend r|e Code ol
Fracrice issued under secrion 4S ol r|e acr ro indicare
r|ar, as lar as possi|le and unless a pu|lic aur|oriry
|as _ood reason or|erwise, inrernal reviews s|ould |e
complered wir|in 20 workin_ days."
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Accounra|iliry
ogP grAnd CHALLenges ncreasin_ pu|lic inre_riry
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
3. disinCenTives
For wiTHoLding
inFormATion
4. Time LimiTs
For APPeALs
nexT sTePs Furr|er work on |asic implemenrarion
Cluster 2 | Right to Data: Reforming Data Request Incentives
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
TOC
28
|
irm
|
As a consequence, r|e FM researc|er |as lound
pro_ress in eac| ol r|ese commirmenrs ro |e limired.
T|e _overnmenr proposals do nor _o muc| lurr|er
r|an r|e exisrin_ _uidance issued ro pu|lic aur|oriries
|y r|e K nlormarion Commissioner. However some
srake|olders inrerviewed lelr r|ar r|is commirmenr,
w|en implemenred, ar leasr provides a "srick" wir|
w|ic| ro compel aur|oriries il necessary. T|e proposed
amendmenrs ro r|e code ol pracrice lall lar s|orr ol
an equivalenr provision in Scorland w|ere aur|oriries
musr respond ro requesrs wir|in 20 workin_ days, wir|
no exrension ro consider r|e pu|lic inreresr.
1
did it matter?
T|ese commirmenrs |ave |een parrially implemenred.
l r|e _overnmenr |ad insrirured noncriminal
sancrions on pu|lic ollcials, ir would |ave srrerc|ed
_overnmenr pracrice |eyond r|ar w|ic| exisred
|elore r|e acrion plan. However, r|e commirmenr
|as |een narrowed ro proposin_ a specilc srarurory
amendmenr r|ar would lacilirare prosecurions under
r|e rerms ol an exisrin_ srarure. n r|ar respecr ir does
not stretch government practice.
2
T|e proposed c|an_es would allecr r|e code ol
pracrice on r|e maximum rime limirs on w|ic| ro
review F requesrs, and provide srarurory loorin_
lor exisrin_ _uidance issued |y r|e nlormarion
Commissioner's llce (C). T|erelore, ir does
not stretch government practice
3

moving forward
Furr|er work on |asic implemenrarion ol r|is
commirmenr is required and is underway. Froposed
c|an_es ro r|e srarure and r|e code ol pracrice musr
complere r|e process ol Minisrerial and Farliamenrary
approval and Foyal assenr as necessary.
4
Reconciling
r|e o||ecrives ol securin_ a ri_|r ro dara wir| r|ose
ol reducin_ r|e re_ularory |urden needs ro |e
explicirly addressed.
1
Mourlce Fronkel, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, lnfervlew, 1 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013, Cllclol 2,
Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
2
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
3
Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013, Mourlce Fronkel, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, lnfervlew, 1 Moy 2013.
4
TOC
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29
Right to data: Stronger rights to empower citizens to
obtain data from the public sector, including:
altered procurement rules to ensure that data creat-
ed by government is stored in information technol-
c_y (|T) :y:tcn: trat nnn:c trc cc:t and d||cu!ty
of publishing data online;
a mandatory phased introduction of the Public by
Default standard, delivered through a new genera-
tion of IT systems and accompanying policies.
what happened?
Su|sranrial pro_ress |as |een made on r|ese
commirmenrs, |ur, ar r|e rime ol assessmenr, r|ey
were |e|ind sc|edule.
T|e lrsr commirmenr would lessen r|e dillculry in
_errin_ dara lrom srora_e ro a pu|licly usea|le lorm.
T|e larrer would creare an assumprion r|ar dara will |e
made pu|lic in all |ur exceprional cases.
T|e K Governmenr's "pen Dara W|ire Faper,"
1

underpins r|ese and many or|er K acrion plan
commirmenrs. n Novem|er 2012, r|e Governmenr
Di_iral Srrare_y srared r|ar |e_innin_ in April 2014, all
new and redesi_ned services processin_ over 100,000
rransacrions a year would |ave ro meer r|e Di_iral
|y Delaulr Srandard il r|ey were ro link wir| Gov.K.
T|e Di_iral |y Delaulr Srandard |as 2o crireria wir|
accompanyin_ _uidance.
2
As the UK selfassessment
candidly indicares, "ssues are srill arisin_ mosrly
due ro le_acy T sysrems r|ar do nor produce r|e
qualiry or lormar ol dara required as a minimum and
so some darasers require manual inrervenrion prior
ro pu|licarion. T|is |as meanr r|ar dara pu|licarion,
in parricular ol corporare dara, is |ein_ rolled our
ar a slower pace and only alrer consulrarion wir|
deparrmenrs over r|e pracricaliries ol release."
3
T|ere are also residual concerns as ro w|er|er
disclosure ol inlormarion derived lrom personal dara
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Tec|nolo_y and innovarion
ogP grAnd CHALLenges More ellecrively mana_in_ pu|lic resources
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
5. ALTered
ProCUremenT
rULes
6. PUBLiC By
deFAULT
sTAndArd
nexT sTePs Exrension |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion
Cluster 3 | Right to Data: Strengthening Information Technology (IT) Protocols
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
TOC
30
|
irm
|
is sullcienrly anonymous ro prevenr inlrin_emenr ol
privacy ri_|rs, w|ic| requires assurance c|ecks.
4

did it matter?
T|e scale and r|e aspirarion ol r|e commirmenrs
on Fu|lic |y Delaulr srandard and ensurin_ r|ar
inlormarion is srored in a manner r|ar makes ir
capa|le ol disclosure in suira|le lormars srrerc|es
_overnmenr pracrice well |eyond r|ar w|ic| exisred
|elore r|e acrion plan. Furrin_ r|ese commirmenrs
inro pracrice is lrau_|r wir| o|sracles, some rec|nical,
_iven r|e limirarions ol r|e le_acy T sysrems, and
some culrural, _iven r|e dillerenrial arrirudes rowards
di_iral disclosure and r|e srance on r|e Fu|lic |y
Delaulr srandard |y dillerenr arms ol _overnmenr.
5
An example ol r|e larenr inreresr in pu|licly |eld
inlormarion is demonsrrared |y r|e Folice.uk we|sire,
w|ic| was said ro |ave received o million |irs on r|e
day r|ar local crime maps
6
were inrroduced.
7
These
maps |ave driven up inreresr in r|e sire ro over S48
million |irs and S3.S million visirs since irs launc| in
2011. 22% ol |ouse|olds in En_land and Wales |ave
visired r|e sire.
8

moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol r|ese
commirmenrs, |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion.
T|ese commirmenrs are said ro |e in pro_ress or
parrially lulllled, indeed, r|e Di_iral |y Delaulr
Srandard applies ro all new and redesi_ned services
processing over 100,000 transactions a year from
April 2014.
Si_nilcanr issues need ro |e addressed in rerms ol
pu|lis|in_ inlormarion |eld in le_acy T sysrems. T|e
locus is likely ro |e on idenrilyin_ dara re_arded as
parricularly sou_|r alrer and in ensurin_ r|ar dara
collecrion and srora_e is done in way r|ar ir can |e
pu|lis|ed wir| lirrle manual acrion or delay.
9
T|ese commirmenrs will |e delivered only w|en
r|e rec|nical capa|iliry and principles ol collecrin_,
mana_in_, and disclosin_ pu|lic dara are ali_ned.
Clearly the legacy IT systems will continue to slow
pro_ress unril r|e |enelrs ol r|e new inlormarion
and communicarions rec|nolo_y (CT) srrare_y are
realised. However, Srep|en S|akespeare's recenr
reporr, "S|akespeare Feview: An ndependenr
Feview ol Fu|lic Secror nlormarion," advocares a
"rwinrrack policy lor dara release, w|ic| reco_nises
r|ar r|e perlecr s|ould nor |e r|e enemy ol r|e
_ood: a simulraneous 'pu|lis| early even il imperlecr'
imperarive AND a commirmenr ro a '|i_| qualiry
core'.T|is rwinrrack policy will maximise r|e |enelr
wir|in pracrical consrrainrs. r will reduce r|e excuses
lor poor or slow delivery, ir says '_er ir all our and
r|en improve'."
10
1
K Coblnef Mlnlsfer. 2012. Cpen Dofo Whlfe Foper: nleoshlng fhe Fofenflol (CM8353 June 2012). London: Coblnef Mlnlsfer's Cllce.
2
"Dlglfol by Deloulf Servlce Sfondord," nlfed Klngdom. |rrp://|ir.ly/ZoMMF4, Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013
3
K SellAssessmenf Reporf, 2013.
4
lbld.
5
lbld, Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
6
London crime map, |rrp://|ir.ly/1a4czxv lor on exomple.
7
police uk Website Analysis, |rrp://policeuk.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/Folice.uk_rwo_years_on.pdl.
8
Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
9
lbld, Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
10
Governmenf lCT Sfrofegy, Morch 2011, Coblnef Cllce, Sfephen Shokespeore, "Shokespeore Revlew: An lndependenf Revlew ol Fubllc Secfor lnlormoflon," Moy 2013, |rrp://|ir.ly/100oloJ
TOC
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31
Setting standards by:
formalising, through a code of practice or optin
process, the Public Data Principles articulated by
the Public Sector Transparency Board; and
putting in place an open data compliance monitoring
process, which outlines how, when, and where public
service providers should report their progress.
what happened?
T|e K sellassessmenr reporr descri|es r|ese
commirmenrs as |avin_ |een lulllled and on sc|edule.
T|e Fu|lic Dara Frinciples |ave |een incorporared
inro r|e "pen Dara W|ire Faper" as policy lor
cenrral _overnmenr deparrmenrs. Monirorin_
underperlormance is provided |y a quarrerly wrirren
Minisrerial sraremenr ro Farliamenr, w|ic| derails
deparrmenral pro_ress and ac|ievemenrs ro r|e
srandards and pu|lis|ed commirmenrs.
1
n rerms ol monirorin_, r|e openness scorin_ used in
r|e lrsr wrirren Minisrerial reporr is reporred ro |ave
|een "remporarily wir|drawn." r was said r|ar "a
num|er ol inconsisrencies were lound in r|e process
and r|e rools used lor calcularin_ r|e l_ure. T|ese
inconsisrencies relared ro rec|nical issues |erween
r|e source ol r|e dara and dara._ov.uk analysis rools,
and inclusion crireria ol parricular darasers. Work is
under way ro produce improved rools ro measure r|e
openness ol dara on dara._ov.uk. As parr ol r|is work,
r|e crireria lor darasers included in r|e score will also
|e delned."
2
In terms of progress, the written statements reveal
dillerenr perlormance amon_ deparrmenrs.
did it matter?
T|ese commirmenrs _o |eyond previous _overnmenr
pracrice |y elevarin_ r|e pu|lic dara principles ro |ecome
policy lor cenrral _overnmenr deparrmenrs. Wrirren
Minisrerial sraremenrs ro Farliamenr are esra|lis|ed
pracrice |ur |avin_ a Ca|iner minisrer make a sraremenr
to Parliament on the performance of government
deparrmenrs on r|e delivery ol commirmenrs re_ardin_
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP vALUes Access to information
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
7. PUBLiC dATA
Code oF
PrACTiCe
8. oPen dATA
ComPLiAnCe
moniToring
nexT sTePs Mainrenance and monirorin_
Cluster 4 | Setting Standards: Public Data Principles
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
toc
32
|
irm
|
SCTH AFRlCA FRCGRESS REFCRT 2011-13
pu|lic dara provides _rearer prominence and polirical
leverage than was previously the case.
For example, r|e lrsr wrirren Minisrerial sraremenr in
Decem|er 2012 was reporred in r|e rrade ma_azine
Government Computing as follows:
T|e _overnmenr |as announced r|ar r|e avera_e
'openness score', measurin_ deparrmenrs pro_ress in
meerin_ r|eir open dara commirmenrs, is S2%.
However, perlormance varies widely amon_ r|e dillerenr
deparrmenrs. T|e Deparrmenr lor Communiries and Local
Governmenr (DCLG) scored |usr S%, compared ro HM
Treasury, w|ic| ac|ieved a score ol S%. HM Fevenue &
Cusroms (HMFC) scored 18%, w|ile r|e Deparrmenr lor
Educarion's openness score was 88%. T|e Deparrmenr
lor Work and Fensions and r|e Deparrmenr ol Healr|
ac|ieved a score ol 40% apiece.
3
nder r|ese commirmenrs, _overnmenr deparrmenrs
(and arms len_r| |odies) are required ro make
commirmenrs on pu|lis|in_ dara and ro reporr on
r|eir perlormance r|rou_| r|e Ca|iner llce Cross
Governmenr Transparency Team. A works|op |eld
|y r|is _roup idenriled |asic o|sracles suc| as r|e
workin_ culrure wir|in r|e or_anisarion, r|e capaciry
ol CT sysrems nor desi_ned ro collecr dara in new
open lormars, corporare pracrices r|ar may impede
disclosure, and perceived le_al or qualiry issues in
disclosin_ inlormarion. Furr|er inrervenrions |ave |een
made |y r|e Ca|iner llce direcrly wir| individual
deparrmenrs w|ere perlormance a_ainsr a_reed
srandards remains ar issue.
4
r is unclear ro w|ar exrenr
r|ese ellorrs examined demand lrom r|e |roader
pu|lic and w|er|er r|ese sysrems mer r|ar demand.
moving forward
A monirorin_ process is in place, dillerenrial perlormance
is |ein_ idenriled, and cerrain inrervenrions are |ein_
made. T|e c|allen_e will come il perlormance in some
deparrmenrs conrinues ro |e |elow r|e srandard
required. T|e quesrion r|en is: W|ar levers will |e
used |y r|e Ca|iner llce ro secure improvemenr?
Furr|ermore, perlormance is parrly |ased on
commirmenrs made |y r|e deparrmenrs r|emselves
as ro w|ar inlormarion r|ey are prepared ro make
availa|le, rar|er r|an |y any commonly a_reed or
cenrrally direcred srandard. Exrernal pressure may
come lrom r|e moresrrerc|in_ approac| called lor
|y r|e S|akespeare Feview and lrom pen Dara ser
Group demands ro disclose darasers deparrmenrs |ad
nor selecred lor pu|lic access.
5
1
Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, "Cpen Dofo Whlfe Foper, 28 June 2012, "Reporf on Deporfmenfol Cpen Dofo Commlfmenfs
and Adherence to public data principles for the period between october and december 2012, united kingdom, |rrp://|ir.ly/1S34yLK
2
Coblnef Mlnlsfer's Cllce. Second Ouorferly Wrlffen Mlnlsferlol sfofemenf, Aprll 2013, |rrp://|ir.ly/XSxvz
3
Chorloffe Jee, "Governmenf Releoses Deporfmenfs' Cpen Dofo Ferlormonce," Governmenf Compuflng, |rrp://|ir.ly/TXSFDp
4
Second Ouorferly Wrlffen Mlnlsferlol sfofemenf, Aprll 2013, Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
5
Shokespeore, The Shokespeore Revlew, 2013.
toc
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33
making clear the minimum that citizens can expect
on publication and quality of data, including com-
pliance with the Public Sector Transparency Boards
Public Data Principles;
ensuring a line of continuous improvement for pub-
lic service providers in achieving the highest ratings
for their published data compared with the govern-
ments FiveStar Rating for Open Data;
encouraging continuous improvement by adoption
of recommended publication formats appropriate
to the context.
what happened?
Although implementing this set of commitments is
lar_ely on sc|edule, assessmenr ol pro_ress is mixed.
T|e _overnmenr |as implemenred r|e commirmenrs in
irs Fu|lic Dara Frinciples includin_ a lvesrar srandard
ol producrion. However, r|is level ol ac|ievemenr
remains aspirarional |ecause ol r|e qualiry ol r|e
inlormarion |eld in le_acy CT sysrems and also r|e
dillerenrial perlormance ol deparrmenrs.
Fu|lic Dara Frinciples: As previously indicared,
wrirren Minisrerial sraremenrs demonsrrare r|ar
deparrmenral srrare_ies are nor necessarily carried our
to a satisfactory level of performance.
1
There appears
ro |e no clear lorm ol redress il deparrmenrs lail ro
o|serve r|e _overnmenr's pen Dara Frinciples or
r|e commirmenrs made in r|eir open dara srrare_ies
ro volunrarily disclose or pu|lis| cerrain dara.
2
The
minimum r|ar cirizens can expecr on r|e pu|licarion
and qualiry ol dara is ser our in r|e Fu|lic Dara
Principles, which are policy for central government
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
9. CLeAr
minimUm
exPeCTATions
10. 5 sTAr
dATA rATing
11. AdoPTion
oF PUBLiCATion
FormATs
Cluster 5 | Setting Standards: Implementing Public Data Standards
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
toc
34
|
irm
|
1
Ouorferly wrlffen mlnlsferlol sfofemenfs, Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Cllclol 2, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
2
Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013.
3
uk government, setting open data standards, |rrp://|ir.ly/FwNHY
4
Dofo.gov.uk. "New Fubllc Secfor Tronsporency Boord ond Fubllc Dofo Tronsporency Frlnclples," blog, |rrp://|ir.ly/|leoN|, Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew,
15 Moy 2013.
5
open data Communities, Wellbeing map explorer, |rrp://opendaracommuniries.or_/well|ein_/map
6
Soomoh Abdolloh. "Wellbelng Fofferns ncovered: A New Weolfh ol Dofo lor fhe K," blog. New Economlcs Forum. |rrp://|ir.ly/1aEm||e
7
lbld.
8
nlfed Klngdom CGF Noflonol Acflon Flon, 2011.
deparrmenrs, as well as in deparrmenral open dara
srrare_ies, w|ic| arriculare |ow deparrmenrs inrend ro
lulll o|li_arions and expecrarions.
3
Ad|erence ro r|e
Fu|lic Dara Frinciples would encoura_e conrinuous
improvemenr |y adoprion ol recommended
pu|licarion lormars appropriare ro r|e conrexr.
FiveStar Rating System: The policy of continuous
improvemenr includes a commirmenr ro ac|ievin_ r|e
lvesrar qualiry srandard in dara pu|licarion. However,
ac|ievin_ r|e lvesrar srandard remains aspirarional
|ecause deparrmenral commirmenrs, as ser our in r|e
open dara srrare_ies, are ro pu|lis| everyr|in_ "w|ere
possi|le" ar a minimum r|reesrar qualiry.
did it matter?
T|e Fu|lic Dara Frinciples were pu|lis|ed in dralr in
May 2010 |y r|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board,
and were incorporared inro r|e GF acrion plan and
ulrimarely inro r|e "pen Dara W|ire Faper," w|ere
r|ey |ecame _overnmenr policy. Alr|ou_| r|ey link
ro some aspecrs ol _ood pracrice r|ar may |ave |een
pursued |y elemenrs ol r|e pu|lic service, r|ey remain
|i_|ly aspirarional and demandin_.
4
Monirorin_ s|ows r|ar inlormarion is |ein_ disclosed
and r|ar r|e lvesrar qualiry srandard, w|ile lar lrom
|ein_ r|e norm, is |ein_ mer in specilc insrances.
For example, r|e Deparrmenr lor Communiries and
Local Governmenr released new srarisrical esrimares
ol r|e well|ein_ ol residenrs ro illusrrare r|e de_ree
ol variarion amon_ nei_||our|oods.
5
T|e dara is
lvesrar qualiry and can |e explored via an inreracrive
map. T|is dara, derived lrom a survey |y r|e llce ol
Narional Srarisrics was analysed |y r|e nonprolr New
Economics Foundarion (NEF), w|ic| looked ar r|emes
relarin_ ro er|niciry, rypes ol employmenr, workin_
|ours, inequaliry, and _eo_rap|y, ro idenrily parrerns
lor irs reporr, "WellBein_ Farrerns ncovered."
6
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol r|is
commirmenr |y |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion.
An emer_in_ issue is |ow ro make r|e inlormarion
uselul and meanin_lul ro srake|olders, rar|er r|an
simply makin_ ever more dara availa|le. Civil sociery
_roups |ave proposed r|ar in irs nexr GF acrion
plan "r|e K _overnmenr s|ould supporr individuals,
communiry _roups and r|e volunrary secror ro make
ellecrive use ol open dara |y adoprin_ r|e S srars ol
open dara en_a_emenr and developin_ pro_rammes
and resources r|ar promore r|e use ol open dara in
parricular serrin_ssuc| as nei_||our|ood plannin_,
|ealr| service _overnance, and overseas aid." Civil
sociery _roups consulred durin_ r|e FM process
also called lor core relerence dara ro |e idenriled
and pu|lis|ed.
Bor| ol r|e civil sociery demands could |e
accommodared r|rou_| revised deparrmenral open
dara srrare_ies alon_side ri_orous qualiry assurance
ol r|e inlormarion |ein_ made availa|le.
7

T|e _overnmenr may also |elp individuals, communiry
_roups, and r|e volunrary secror ro make ellecrive
use ol open dara. Srake|olders consulred said r|is is,
"imporranr |ecause r|e ma|oriry ol lundin_ lor open
dara use |as _one ro r|e privare secror, and r|e social
value ol dara remains locked up |ecause r|e rools and
skills ro use ir are nor yer widespread. Civil sociery is
already acrive in developin_ rrainin_, rools and ideas
lor promorin_ open dara en_a_emenr, |ur needs
r|e |uyin and supporr lrom _overnmenr ro rake r|is
ro scale."
8
toc
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35
setting out how citizens can challenge failure in the
process (although we expect the public will rarely
need to revert to this because data will be proac-
tively published);
establishing a government obligation to consider
and, if appropriate, act on user feedback, even for
data that has been collected independently of the
public body or public service provider.
what happened?
The UK selfassessment says the commitments in
r|is clusrer are parrially lulllled. T|e FM researc|er
supporrs r|e conclusion r|ar pro_ress is limired.
T|e commirmenrs su__esr r|ar a redress provision
would |e insrirured (presumin_ r|ar suc| a provision
was nor availa|le.) Now r|e K _overnmenr su__esrs
r|ar exisrin_ redress mec|anisms _overnin_ dara access
and r|e usesuc| as recourse ro r|e K nlormarion
Commissionerare sullcienr ro lulll r|e commirmenr.
T|e K Governmenr poinrs ro r|e esra|lis|menr ol r|e
pen Dara ser Group (DG), as parrially lullllin_
the commitment. However ODUG is not a challenge
or redress mec|anism. nsread ir is means |y w|ic|
individuals, academics, |usinesses, and c|ariries can
su__esr darasers r|ar r|ey would like ro see pu|lis|ed.
T|e commirmenr ro provide a means ro redress r|e
lailure ro make availa|le dara ol a cerrain rype and
qualiry was per|aps overly asserrive. nadequare
considerarion may |ave |een _iven ro r|e exisrin_
srarurory lramework, w|ic| could |ave _iven rise ro
duplicarion or conlusion as ro r|e appropriare roure
ol a c|allen_e il dara was relused. T|e _overnmenr
lnds r|e idea ol increasin_ r|e re_ularory |urden
unarrracrive. T|e emp|asis wir|in r|e Ca|iner llce
Transparency Team is one of encouragement to
pu|lis| rar|er r|an o|li_arion or sancrion.
did it matter?
T|e commirmenr would |ave srrerc|ed _overnmenr
pracrice |y commirrin_ ro an independenr mec|anism
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Accounra|iliry, Farriciparion
ogP grAnd CHALLenges mprovin_ pu|lic services, mprovin_ pu|lic inre_riry
ACTion or PLAn Both
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
12. CHALLenging
FAiLUre To
reLeAse dATA
13. oBLigATion
To Use
FeedBACK
Cluster 6 | Setting Standards: user Feedback and Accountability Mechanisms
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
toc
36
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irm
|
lor c|allen_e and redress, as well as crearin_ an
expecrarion r|ar cirizens could expecr cerrain minimum
srandards ol dara pu|licarion, w|ic| is provin_ dillculr
ro ac|ieve across r|e |oard.
1
T|is commirmenr, as currenrly inrerprered and
implemenred, does nor srrerc| _overnmenr muc|
|eyond r|ar w|ic| exisred |elore r|e acrion plan
was creared.
T|e _overnmenr |as raken some acrion ro pro_ress
r|e inrenr |e|ind r|is commirmenr. n parricular,
amendmenrs ro r|e F Acr r|rou_| r|e Frorecrion
ol Freedoms Acr 2012 en|anced cirizen ri_|rs ro |e
provided wir| darasers. A revised code ol pracrice
_ivin_ _uidance on releasin_ darasers was pu|lis|ed in
July 2013.
2
Srake|olders remained unclear as ro r|e consequences
ol r|e srarurory and code ol pracrice c|an_es. Some
srake|olders were anxious ro secure access ro darasers
r|ar may |e incomplere or lailed ro meer r|e lvesrar
srandard |ur w|ic|, neverr|eless, would |e |enelcial
in r|e pu|lic domain. r|ers were concerned r|ar
resrricrions on r|e use ol r|e inlormarion would |e
suc| r|ar r|e inlormarion would nor |e disclosed or
could nor |e |enelcially used. T|ese concerns are in
parr relecred in some ol r|e conrri|urions made ro r|e
Code ol Fracrice Darasers Consulrarion.
3
moving forward
Based on irs lndin_s, r|e FM researc|er recommends
si_nilcanr lurr|er revision ol r|e commirmenrs. T|e
rerms ol r|e commirmenrs, as wrirren, are already
|ein_ revised and will |e consolidared w|en r|e
provisions ol r|e Frorecrion ol Freedoms Acr and
irs revised code ol pracrice secrion 4S are lully in
ellecr. r will |e imporranr ro moniror r|e pracrical
consequences ol r|e new srarurory provisions ro
ensure that the original purpose of securing the
pu|licarion and disclosure ol darasers sou_|r |y
cirizens is ac|ieved.
4
T|e key issue is ro ensure r|ar
aur|oriries respond posirively ro requesrs lor darasers
su|mirred r|rou_| F, makin_ r|e inlormarion
availa|le wir|our resrricrion (or under an open licence),
unin|i|ired |y cosr.
5
Considerarion could |e _iven ro a _rearer ali_nmenr
|erween r|e commirmenrs made in r|e deparrmenral
open dara srrare_ies and r|e darasers r|ar consrirure
parr ol r|e pu|licarion sc|emes approved |y r|e C,
w|ic| would _ive r|e C a locus ro deal wir| lailin_s
|y an aur|oriry r|ar |as commirred ro produce cerrain
dara, in a cerrain lormar.
1
Fefer Lowrence ,Depufy Dlrecfor, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, CGF K 2011 Noflonol Acflon Flon
SellAssessmenf Reporf.
2
Secrefory ol Sfofe's Code ol Frocflce (dofosefs) on fhe dlschorge ol publlc oufhorlfles' luncflons under Forf 1 ol fhe Freedom ol lnlormoflon Acf, |rrp://|ir.ly/1|w2F38
3
Mourlce Fronkel, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, 1 Moy 2013.
4
CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, 1 Moy 2013, Mourlce Fronkel, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, 1 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood, Heod ol Follcy Dellvery,
lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013.
5
Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Mourlce Fronkel, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, 1 Moy 2013, CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, Cpen Governmenf
partnership uk, uk Civil society perspectives on the national Action plan, |rrp://|ir.ly/J2r3Yr
toc
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1
Noflonol Archlves. "Whof fhe Cpen Governmenf Llcense Covers." |rrp://|ir.ly/|0YAG
2
Nlgel Shodbolf. "New Cpen Governmenf Llcense." Dofo.gov.uk. |rrp://|ir.ly/vyG11
Full text of the commitment
Setting standards by making clear that, with very narrow
restrictions, licences must cover free, commercial reuse
with public service providers not normally selling data.
We will build on the successful Open Government
Licence, which makes reuse of Crown Copyright and
Crown Database material free for commercial and non
commercial purposes, to create one or more licences
which will be prescribed for public bodies where they
are making datasets available for reuse. In most cases,
the expectation will be that this licence will be the OGL.
what happened?
T|is commirmenr |as |een complered a|ead ol sc|edule.
T|e pen Governmenr License (GL), lrsr pu|lis|ed
in 2010, allows _overnmenrs ar all levels ro pu|lis| r|eir
inlormarion in a marrer compari|le wir| or|er crearive
commons licenses. Accordin_ ro r|e _overnmenr's sell
assessment, The Open Government Licence is now
widely used |y local aur|oriries in En_land and Wales
and |as |een adapred |y some overseas _overnmenrs
includin_ Canada, Sour| Korea and Spain, |ur irs
implemenrarion in r|e nired Kin_dom is nor yer universal.
Furr|er licence models coverin_ noncommercial use
and c|ar_ed licences |ave |een developed under r|e K
Governmenr Licensin_ Framework."
Accordin_ ro r|e dara._ov.uk we|sire, r|e license was
updared and rereleased on 30 Seprem|er 2012 wir|in
r|e rimelrame ser our |y r|e _overnmenr in r|e GF
acrion plan and r|e relared pen Governmenr License
Action Plan.
2
did it matter?
T|e FM researc|er was una|le ro _ar|er evidence
as ro w|er|er mem|ers ol r|e pu|lic |ad used r|e
new licenses ro _rearer |enelr. T|e _overnmenr's
sellassessmenr poinrs ro uprake |y or|er levels ol
_overnmenr wir|in r|e nired Kin_dom.
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends mainrenance and
monirorin_ ol r|is commirmenr. Specilcally, r|e
_overnmenr and or|er or_anizarions can (1) work
ro moniror r|ar r|is license is r|e delaulr license lor
pu|licly availa|le dara and (2) _ar|er inlormarion on
r|e use ol dara licensed under r|e GL.
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP grAnd CHALLenges None
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
Cluster 7 | Setting Standards: Data Licensing
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
toc
38
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39
Setting standards to:
merge information asset registers, publication
schemes, and other data lists over time into a
single data inventory, alongside which would sit the
unlocking service that provides for citizens and
business to make requests for datasets not currently
published or planned to be published;
set consistent expectations of the appropriate
quality of metadata; and
for standardised data coordinated across govern-
ncnt, :ct trc dc|ntcn: c| trc data tc oc rcvdcd
and their context.
what happened?
T|ese commirmenrs |ave |een wir|drawn, c|an_ed in
scope, or parrially lulllled.
T|e _overnmenr carried our some work ro esra|lis| a
sin_le dara invenrory |ur r|e work was disconrinued
in li_|r ol r|e considera|le c|allen_es posed |y r|e
dillerin_ srrucrures ol _overnmenr deparrmenrs and
legacy ICT systems.
Guidance was _iven lor meradara conrenr ro ensure
consisrency ol similar darasers across deparrmenrs.
However, work is required ro ensure r|ar deparrmenral
meradara srandards relared ro individual daraser
commirmenrs are ol r|e same qualiry.
1
T|e aspirarion ol r|e commirmenr was ro esra|lis|
w|ar dara was |eld |y r|e _overnmenr, nor |usr w|ar
dara were already pu|lis|ed or proacrively made
availa|le. T|e purpose was ro allow porenrial users ro
idenrily inlormarion ol use ro r|em even il _overnmenr
was nor acrively providin_ ir. However, r|e rec|nical
dillculries ol collarin_ an invenrory lrom deparrmenrs
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
15. singLe dATA
invenTory
16. exPeCTATions
oF meTAdATA
qUALiTy
17. deFiniTions
oF sTAndArd
dATA
CIuster 8 j 5etting 5tandards: Metadata and Data DeBnitions
(CuRREnT) not
stArted Limited substAntiAL
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
WlTHDRAWN
WlTHDRAWN
CompLete
CompLete
CompLete
toc
40
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irm
|
r|ar srored and used dara in enrirely dillerenr ways
were too challenging. For the moment, it appears
r|ar ir may |e possi|le ro creare an invenrory ol
inlormarion pu|lis|ed r|rou_| dara._ov.uk and ro
explore w|er|er local invenrories ol inlormarion |eld
|ur nor pu|lis|ed could |e drawn up.
2
did it matter?
T|e commirmenrs were descri|ed as |ein_
aspirarional and clearly srrerc|ed pracrice |eyond
r|ar w|ic| exisred |elore r|e acrion plan was creared.
ndeed crearin_ a sin_le dara invenrory is |eyond r|e
current capacity of government.
3
moving forward
Si_nilcanr revision ol r|e commirmenrs is
recommended in accordance wir| r|e S|akespeare
Feview. T|e review calls lor _overnmenr and irs
deparrmenrs ro idenrily core relerence dara. l r|is
were sysremarically and quickly done, ir would provide
a parrial invenrory ol core marerial r|ar could |e
pu|lis|ed and kepr up ro dare.
4
1
2
lbld, Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew 15 Moy 2013,
3
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, CGF K Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf, Annex C.
4
Shokespeore, "Shokespeore Revlew," Moy 2013.
toc
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41
Strengthening corporate and personal responsibility by:
introducing a corporate responsibility at [the Trans-
parency] Board level to ensure that the right to data
is being met (for the organisation and all service
providers in the public, private, and third sectors)
based on the Caldicott guardian model;
1

strengthening the role and broadening the mem-
bership of the Public Sector Transparency Board
crarcd oy trc Mn:tcr |cr Caonct C||cc.
what happened?
T|ese commirmenrs are descri|ed |y K _overnmenr
ollcials as |ein_ lulllled. An ollcial lrom r|e
Transparency Team srared r|ar, "All deparrmenrs
|ave a nominared a senior ollcial lor rransparency,
w|o meers re_ularly wir| r|e Ca|iner llce Cross
Governmenr Transparency Team ro discuss r|e
open dara a_enda and ro make decisions on cross
_overnmenr issues. Below r|is is r|e 'workin_ _roup' ol
pracririoners lrom eac| deparrmenr r|ar meer ro look
ar r|e everyday issues ol releasin_ dara. (T|ese _roups
|ave |een descri|ed in inrerviews as deparrmenral
open dara c|ampions.)
"T|e role and mem|ers|ip ol r|e Fu|lic Secror
Transparency Board |as |een srren_r|ened |y r|e
appoinrmenr ol Dame Fiona Caldicorr as r|e privacy
experr and eac| ol r|e deparrmenral secror |oards |as
also now appoinred independenr privacy experrs."
2
did it matter?
T|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board was esra|lis|ed in
2010 |elore r|e crearion ol r|e K GF Narional Acrion
Flan. r |as _iven rise ro a num|er ol rransparency |oards
in local _overnmenr, criminal |usrice, and rransporr.
T|e mem|ers|ip ol r|ese |oards is nor exclusively
_overnmenr deparrmenrs or pu|lic aur|oriries.
3
No specilc c|allen_es in implemenrarion |ave |een
idenriled, alr|ou_| r|e lrequency wir| w|ic| eac|
ol r|ese |odies meers, or r|e lrequency wir| w|ic|
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP grAnd CHALLenges ncreasin_ pu|lic inre_riry, mprovin_ pu|lic services
sPeCiFiCiTy oF goAL Medium
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
18. CorPorATe
resPonsiBiLiTy
AT BoArd LeveL
19. sTrengTHen
PUBLiC seCTor
TrAnsPArenCy
BoArd
Cluster 9 | Corporate and Personal Responsibility: Privacy and Public Sector
Transparency Board
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
TOC
42
|
irm
|
mem|ers were presenr, |as nor |een esra|lis|ed in
the course this review.
4

moving forward
T|e work ol r|ese |oards is well under way, requirin_
only mainrenance and monirorin_ ro ensure r|ey
continue to function.
1
"Coldlcoff guordlons" ore senlor sfoll members wlfh o responslblllfy fo ensure poflenf dofo held by fhe Noflonol Heolfh Servlce ls kepf secure. They ore nomed olfer Dome Flono Coldlcoff,
whose reporf lound weokness ln how such conldenflol dofo wos held.
2
CGF K 2011 Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf, Annex C.
3
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, Sfeve Wood. Heod ol Follcy Dellvery, lnlormoflon Commlssloner's Cllce, lnfervlew, 17 Moy 2013, Wellore Secfor
transparency board, |rrp://|ir.ly/18ywqr
4
Cllclols 2 ond 3, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlews, 15 Moy 2013.
TOC
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Strengthen corporate and personal responsibility by:
bringing the Sector Transparency Board model to
other parts of the public sector that hold datasets
of greatest value. These boards will bring input from
experts to support and challenge government in
making more data public. They could ensure that
data publication is prioritised to deliver the maxi-
nun ocnc|t, and
reviewing the existing governance and regulatory
model for public sector information in government.
what happened?
Bor| commirmenrs were complered, and r|e lrsr
was complered a|ead ol sc|edule. T|e _overnmenr's
assessmenr is r|ar r|e commirmenr ro |rin_ r|e
Secror Transparency Board model ro or|er parrs ol r|e
pu|lic secror r|ar |old darasers ol _rearesr value |as
|een lulllled. T|e review ol r|e exisrin_ _overnance
and re_ularory model lor pu|lic secror inlormarion
in _overnmenr is in pro_ress. r is reporred r|ar r|e
nired Kin_dom |as 11 acrive secror |oards wir|
more |ein_ considered.
1
No si_nilcanr c|allen_es in
meerin_ r|e commirmenrs were reporred. T|e secror
|oards were nor all creared ar r|e same rime and r|e
mix ol _overnmenr and exrernal or non_overnmenr
srake|olders depends on r|e prolle ol r|e secror.
2
Srep|an S|akespeare, w|o was appoinred c|air ol r|e
Dara Srrare_y Board in June 2012, conducred r|e review ol
r|e exisrin_ _overnance and re_ularory model. His reporr,
"S|akespeare Feview," was pu|lis|ed in May 2013.
did it matter?
T|e Fu|lic Secror Transparency Board exisred |elore
r|e acrion plan was creared, and r|e secror rransparency
|oards are narural emanarions ol r|ar model. T|e
commirmenr exrends, |ur does nor necessarily srrerc|,
pracrice. T|e involvemenr ol non_overnmenral |odies
is not unusual for the UK Government in consultative or
coordinarin_ |odies.
3
r is |owever, a si_nilcanr c|an_e
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
sUPPorTing insTiTUTions r|er _overnmenr deparrmenrs
ogP grAnd CHALLenges More ellecrively mana_in_ pu|lic resources, mprovin_ pu|lic services
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
20. exPAnding
CoverAge oF
TrAnsPArenCy
BoArds
21. review
PUBLiC seCTor
inFo modeL
Cluster 10 | Corporate and Personal Responsibility:
Other Public Sector Transparency Boards
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
TOC
44
|
irm
|
ro |ave dedicared, em|edded processes
for transparency at the sectoral level.
Many ol r|ese iniriarives |e_an |elore r|ey were
lormalised inro r|e acrion plan. Even so, si_nilcanr
pro_ress was made in many respecrs, mosr imporranrly
in mainrainin_ r|e momenrum ol mandarin_ a_enrial
and insrirurional uprake. As an example ol r|is
institutionalisation, the Welfare Sector Transparency
Board includes r|e direcror _eneral ol Deparrmenr
ol Work and Fensions Frolessional Services, alon_
wir| mem|ers lrom r|e lnancial services secror,
employmenrrelared service providers, academia, r|e
nlormarion Commissioner's llce, r|e Cirizens Advice
Bureau, r|e Demo_rap|ics ser Group, and r|e Ca|iner
llce. r is supporred |y an exrernal srake|olders'
_roup, w|ic| includes mem|ers lrom privare p|armacy
companies, Cirizens Advice, and r|e nrernarional
Services Company (SERCO).
4
T|e FM researc|er did
nor idenrily r|e level ro w|ic| a |roader ran_e ol
srake|olders |as |e_un ro capiralise on r|e acriviries
ol r|e |oards.
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends conrinued
mainrenance and monirorin_ ol r|ese |oards.
S|akespeare's review ol r|e _overnmenr and re_ularory
model lor pu|lic secror inlormarion _overnmenr
recommended am|irious o||ecrives, especially around
r|e _oal ol crearin_ a uniled c|annel lor openin_
_overnmenr|eld dara (see secrion F: "Movin_
Forward"). l adopred, r|ese recommendarions would
|ave a si_nilcanr impacr on r|e _overnmenr's acrion
plans in coming years.
1
Cllclol 2, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, CGF K 2011 Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf, Annex C.
2
3
4
ln July 2013, o Mlnlsfry ol Jusflce revlew lound fhof SERCC ond o rlvol securlfy lrm, G4S, hod overchorged fhe K Governmenf fens ol mllllons ol pounds on o confrocf fo fog ollenders,
|rrp://|ir.ly/1SiGzTL
TOC
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Collect and publish the right data by:
establishing a framework for public service provid-
ers to have common, consistent, and transparent
data inventories outlining what datasets are held,
and whether or not they are open, using standards
set by central government. Inventories would need
to be built in a modular way, over time, and should
begin with highpriority data.
developing a clear methodology to support intelli-
gent inventories that are prioritised by value.
what happened?
The UK Government assesses that this commitment
"will |e lulllled." However, ir |as indicared r|ar r|e
Ca|iner llce is now lookin_ ar an innovarive way
ro collecr dara lor invenrories wir| work |e_un in
spring 2013.
1

T|e FM researc|er lound r|ar ir will |e dillculr ro lulll
the commitments as written. Immense challenges were
laced |ecause ol r|e |readr| ol r|e commirmenrs.
T|e am|irion was |i_|ly aspirarional, and experience
su__esrs r|ar ir cannor |e ac|ieved complerely. T|e
inrenrion was ro esra|lis| a lramework and srandards
lor pu|lic service providers (nor |usr r|ose in cenrral
_overnmenr) ro creare common, consisrenr, and
rransparenr invenrories ourlinin_ w|ar darasers were
|eld and w|er|er or nor r|ey were open. However,
r|ere were simply roo many deparrmenrs and a_encies
ol _overnmenr as well as exrernal a_encies relianr
on pu|lic lundin_ ro |e |rou_|r in line wir| cenrral
srandards, rakin_ inro accounr r|e qualiry and quanriry
ol inlormarion and r|e manner in w|ic| ir |ad |een
collecred and srored.
2
did it matter?
As well as conlrmin_ dara r|ar is |eld and pu|lis|ed,
r|e perceived |enelr ol r|e proposed invenrory was ro
make known r|e rype ol dara r|ar is |eld |ur nor
yer pu|lis|ed.
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ACTion or PLAn Both
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
22. FrAmeworK
For dATA
invenTories
23. inTeLLigenT
invenTories
Cluster 11 | Collecting and Publishing the Right Data: Data Inventories
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
TOC
46
|
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|
moving forward
T|is commirmenr needs si_nilcanr revision il irs _oals
are ro |e mer. T|e revised approac| ro esra|lis|in_
invenrories is likely ro |e pra_maric and incremenral,
and does nor demand a complere invenrory ol
inlormarion |eld in _overnmenr deparrmenrs. By
ac|ievin_ a |errer undersrandin_ ol |ow deparrmenrs
|ave caprured dara, a limired invenrory can |e |uilr.
Although this approach will not generate an overarching
_overnmenr invenrory, r|e collecred inlormarion ol
dara|oldin_ deparrmenrs would ideally appear on
dara._ov.uk invenrory lisrs ol unpu|lis|ed inlormarion,
accompanied |y reasons w|y r|e inlormarion is nor yer
pu|lis|ed. T|is lisr could |e updared as invenrory irems
are added. l irems are pu|lis|ed, links s|ould |e made
ro r|e pu|lis|ed dara.
3
1
Cllclol 4, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, CGF K 2011 Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf, Annex C.
2
3
lbld.
TOC
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Collect and publish the right data by:
ensuring a clear process to support a reduction in
collection of unnecessary data, which maximises
opportunities to streamline the volume of data, and
ensures resources are focussed on collecting essen-
tial data; and
developing dara._ov.uk and identifying other digital
crannc!: tc :ucrt u:cr: n |ndn_ and accc::n_
relevant highquality data and easytouse tools
and applications.
what happened?
The UK Government assesses that it has partially
lulllled r|ese commirmenrs. r says, |owever, r|ar r|e
commirmenr ro esra|lis| a clear process ro reduce r|e
collecrion ol unnecessary dara will never |e lulllled.
T|e lndin_s ol r|e FM researc|er concur and r|e
commirmenr ro reduce collecrion ol unnecessary
dara is |ein_ revised.
1
Tryin_ ro reduce collecrion ol unnecessary dara
skewed r|e purpose ol r|is commirmenr. l course,
unnecessary duplicarion s|ould |e avoided, especially
w|en |i_|qualiry dara would |e |errer collecred |y
anor|er deparrmenr or a_ency. However, wir|our an
invenrory ol _overnmenr dara|ases (addressed in a
previous commirmenr), ir is lelr r|ar r|e locus s|ould |e
on encoura_in_ deparrmenrs and a_encies ro idenrily
r|e core darasers r|ey s|ould |old, develop, and
pu|lis|. l r|ey lnd duplicarion or poorqualiry dara
collecrion, r|ey s|ould address r|e pro|lem.
2
Si_nilcanrly more pro_ress was made in releasin_
dara ro r|e pu|lic. Dara._ov.uk is descri|ed as lullllin_
irs role |y evolvin_ "ro ensure r|ar ir remains a world
leader in _overnmenr porrals."
3
Dara._ov.uk was
relaunc|ed durin_ r|is acrion plan reporrin_ period.
The aim was to:
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
sUPPorTing insTiTUTions unclear
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Accounra|iliry, Tec|nolo_y and innovarion
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
24. redUCTion
oF UnneCes-
sAry dATA
25.
dATA.gov.UK
nexT sTePs
Feducrion ol unnecessary dara: Si_nilcanr revision ol r|e commirmenr
Dara._ov.uk: Mainrenance and monirorin_
Cluster 12 | Collecting and Publishing the Right Data:
Improving EfBciency of Access
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
WlTHDRAWN
WlTHDRAWN
TOC
48
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irm
|
1
2
3
Cllclols 3 ond 4Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlews, 15 Moy 2013
4
Cllclols 3 ond 4,Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlews, 15 Moy 2013. See olso, Shokespeore, Shokespeore Revlew.
5
"Mo|or Relounch ol Dofo.Gov.K Goes Llve," LCD2, |rrp://|ir.ly/182HX
6
Simplily r|e process ol lndin_ dara wir|our rakin_
away r|e more complex aspecrs expecred |y r|e
seasoned users.
Expand r|e amounr ol inlormarion availa|le around
a daraser ro promore |errer conrexrualisarion.
Make ir easy ro "discover" dara r|rou_| searc|es
or r|rou_| perusal ol pu|lis|ers or ra_s.
Make r|e en_a_emenr aspecrs ol r|e sire more
compre|ensive, dynamic, and su|sranrial,
Srren_r|en dara presence across r|e sire.
Brin_ |ack r|e emp|asis on new developmenrs
and innovarion around open dara rec|nolo_ies.
Make ir easier and |errer lor dara owners ro pu|lis|
more dara.
did it matter?
T|e approac| ro dara collecrion does nor necessarily
srrerc| _overnmenr pracrice, |ur requires a de_ree
ol leaders|ip, cenrral coordinarion, commirmenr ro
delivery, and monirorin_ ro address concerns
a|our porenrial duplicarion or a lack ol locus on
core darasers.
4
Dara._ov.uk was esra|lis|ed |elore r|e acrion plan
was creared and mainrainin_ irs repurarion may nor
srrerc| _overnmenr pracrice, |ur ir deserves ro |e
acknowled_ed as |ein_ am|irious. ser commenrs on
the site are generally positive.
5
T|e FM researc|er did
nor lnd w|er|er or nor r|ere is si_nilcanr uprake ol
r|e dara.
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends si_nilcanr revision
ol r|e commirmenr |ased on r|e lndin_s ol r|e
S|akespeare Feview, w|ic| recommends a locus on
core relerence darasers, |ur am|iriously removes
reliance on deparrmenrs and a_encies lor idenrilyin_
r|ese darasers. r says:
Governmenr s|ould delne 'Narional Core Fel-
erence Dara' as r|e mosr imporranr dara |eld |y
eac| _overnmenr deparrmenr and or|er pu|licly
lunded |odies, r|is s|ould |e idenriled |y an
exrernal |ody,
Every _overnmenr deparrmenr and or|er pu|licly
lunded |odies s|ould make an immediare commir-
menr ro pu|lis| r|eir Core Felerence Dara ro an
a_reed rimera|le and ro a |i_| srandard ro maxi-
mise linka|iliry, ease ol use and lree access
Alon_side r|is |i_|qualiry core dara, deparrmenrs
and or|er pu|lic secror |odies s|ould commir ro
pu|lis|in_ all r|eir darasers (in anonymised lorm) as
quickly as possi|le wir|our usin_ qualiry concerns
as an o|sracle. To quore r|e S|akespeare Feview,
"l r|ere is a clas| |erween dara qualiry and speed
ro pu|licarion, r|ey s|ould lollow r|e 'pu|lis| early
even il imperlecr' principle."
6
TOC
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49
Maximise the opening up of data by:
routinely publishing evidence and databases behind
policy statements in the way that currently happens
around budget statements;
routinely publishing the data underlying surveys at
the same time as the survey analysis is published; and
examining ways for improving the use of existing
published dara lor policy and researc| purposes.
what happened?
The UK Government assesses that these commitments
|ave |een parrially lulllled. However r|e updare on
pro_ress is scanr and some exrernal srake|olders
are sceprical as ro r|e de_ree ro w|ic| evidence
and dara|ases |e|ind policy sraremenrs are |ein_
rourinely pu|lis|ed. Ar |esr r|is is done on an ad |oc
|asis dependin_ on r|e arrirude ol r|e deparrmenr.
1
T|e primary c|allen_e appears ro |e r|e exrenr
ro w|ic| deparrmenrs are prepared ro disclose
evidence and darasers |e|ind policy sraremenrs.
Some deparrmenrs appeared willin_ and capa|le
ol so doin_ w|ile or|ers |ad limired aspirarions or
overridin_ concerns suc| as privacy, w|ic| in|i|ired
r|eir preparedness ro disclose dara.
As a posirive example, pu|lic access ro |ud_erary
and lnancial spendin_ dara provides evidence
and dara|ases underpinnin_ policy sraremenrs. n
or|er areas, |owever, inlormarion is resrricred. For
example, r|e K Governmenr's sellassessmenr makes
specilc relerence ro r|e HM Fevenue and Cusroms
(HMFC) Darala|, w|ic| is lor use |y researc|ers and
academics. T|e HMFC and Economic and Social
Research Council sites
2
conlrm r|ar only "Academic
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP grAnd CHALLenges More ellecrively mana_in_ pu|lic resources, mprovin_ pu|lic inre_riry
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
26. evidenCe
BeHind PoLiCy
sTATemenTs
27. PUBLisHing
dATA Under
sUrveys
28. imProving
Use oF exisT-
ing dATA
Cluster 13 | Maximise the Opening up of Data
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
CompLete
TOC
50
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irm
|
researc|ers w|ose pro|ecrs |ave |een approved |y
HMFC and |ave complered r|e required rrainin_ will
|e a|le ro use r|e HMFC Darala| in London ro access
anonymised adminisrrarive and survey dara r|ar are
relevanr ro r|eir pro|ecr." Darala| is nor an GF acrion
plan iniriarive, |avin_ |een launc|ed in May 2011.
3

did it matter?
T|ese commirmenrs do nor srrerc| pracrice |eyond
r|ar w|ic| exisred |elore r|e acrion plan was creared.
T|e currenr and previous _overnmenrs |ave made
availa|le evidence and dara|ases underpinnin_ policy
decisions and sraremenrs.
ne srake|older recalled r|e commirmenr in r|e 17
Code ol Fracrice on Access ro nlormarion ro "supply
lacrs and analysis wir| ma|or policy decisions."
4
Fer|aps mosr prominenr availa|le dara|ase is r|e
Treasury's Com|ined nline nlormarion Sysrem
(CNS) w|ic| includes:
Flansaur|orised deparrmenral spendin_,
urrurnacrual spendin_ lor years r|ar |ave ended,
Forecast outturnmonthly inyear outturn (estimat-
ed acruals lor monr|s r|ar |ave ended) and lore-
casrs (lor lurure monr|s),
Audired ourrurnyearend srarurory accounrs dara
lor r|e pu|lic secror.
5

T|ere is evidence r|ar r|ird parries use r|ese darasers.
For example, r|e media uses CNS dara exrensively
durin_ r|e aurumn release ol r|e C|ancellor's
spendin_ sraremenr and uses |ud_er dara ro _enerare
commenr, _rap|ics, and links.
W|ile providin_ sysremaric and rimely dara
underpinnin_ policy decisions and sraremenrs is
nor an exceprion, ir is nor yer r|e rule despire r|e
commitments given in the action plan.
6
T|e conrinuin_ c|allen_e lies in r|e lack ol cerrainry
r|ar r|e inlormarion sou_|r will |ave |een pu|lis|ed
ar a rime and in a manner r|ar provides an evidence
|ase lor policy decisions and sraremenrs.
7
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol
r|is ser ol commirmenrs |y |uildin_ on exisrin_
implemenrarion ro provide demonsrra|le evidence
r|ar rimely pu|licarion ol r|e evidence and dara|ases
|e|ind policy is |ecomin_ r|e norm, and, il ir is,
ro make suc| evidence and dara|ases readily and
prominenrly availa|le. l ir is s|own r|ar disclosure
is ad |oc, measures s|ould |e raken ro ensure
a |errer de_ree ol consisrenr _ood pracrice
across government.
8
1
CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, London, 1 Moy 2013, Mourlce Fronkel, Dlrecfor, Compolgn lor Freedom ol lnlormoflon, 1 Moy 2013. Cllclol 4, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce,
lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013.
2
Economlc ond Soclol Reseorch Councll ond HM Revenue & Cusfoms, "Dofolob," |rrp://|ir.ly/SyMaD, HM Revenue & Cusfoms (HMRC), "Abouf fhe HMRC Dofolob," |rrp://|ir.ly/yErGoK
3
4
CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, London, 1 Moy 2013. Code ol Frocflce on Access fo Governmenf lnlormoflon. Forllomenfory Commlssloner lor Admlnlsfroflon. 17.
|rrp://|ir.ly/1S3lF7c
5
simon rogers, government spending by department, 201112: get the data, guardian, 4 december 2012, |rrp://|ir.ly/18yLuzN
6
maurice Frankel, Campaign for Freedom of information, London, 16 may 2013
7
CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group, London, 1 Moy 2013.
8
lbld.
TOC
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Full text of the commitment
Stimulate the market for innovative use of open
data by requiring public service providers to report
each year on how they are building collaborative
relationships with the user community, including
the commercial sector, to promote the use of
[governmentheld] data.
what happened?
T|e FM researc|er lnds r|is commirmenr |as s|own
limired pro_ress and is |e|ind sc|edule. Similarly, r|e
K Governmenr descri|es r|is commirmenr as |ein_
parrially lulllled. T|e primary ac|ievemenr is
r|e esra|lis|menr ol r|e pen Dara nsrirure in
cro|er 2012 ro "unlock enrerprise and social value"
lrom open _overnmenr dara. n addirion, r|e pen
Dara ser Group (DG) was esra|lis|ed ro supporr
r|e work ol r|e new Dara Srrare_y Board (DSB)
advisin_ on prioririsin_ pu|lic secror dara lor release
as open dara.
T|e commirmenr encompasses all pu|lic service
providers, r|us exrends well |eyond services delivered
|y _overnmenr and requires iniriarives |y or|er
service providers, includin_ nonprolr and privare
insrirurions. T|e _overnmenr |as nor pursued irs
inrenr ro encoura_e or require pu|lic service providers
ro make an annual reporr. T|erelore, ir is nor clear
w|er|er any |odies ourside cenrral _overnmenr |ave
|uilr colla|orarive relarions|ips. T|e locus ol arrenrion
|as |een on |uildin_ cenrral _overnmenr srrucrures
r|ar can serve as examples. T|e nascenr developmenr
environmenr ro make use ol and add value ro dara is
nor as well advanced as was |oped, accordin_ ro some
o|servers, limirin_ r|e num|er ol si_nilcanr success
srories a|our r|e use ol _overnmenr dara.
Finally, w|ile r|e _overnmenr is commirred ro
unlockin_ r|e value ol dara |eld |y pu|lic service
providers, r|ere remains some dou|r a|our |ow ro
value r|e social |enelr lrom disclosure in rime saved
or improved pu|lic service delivery. T|e S|akespeare
Feview called lor "new ways ro _ar|er evidence ol
r|e economic and social value ol openin_ up Fu|lic
Secror nlormarion and _overnmenr dara, and |ow ir
can |e lurr|er developed rakin_ inro accounr r|e laresr
innovarions in rec|nolo_y."
1
did it matter?
T|e commirmenr would |ave srrerc|ed _overnmenr
well |eyond currenr pracrice. No mec|anism lor
reporrin_ was in place and, per|aps more imporranrly,
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Farriciparion, Accounra|iliry
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
Cluster 14 | Stimulate the Market for Innovative use of Open Data
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
TOC
52
|
irm
|
decenrralised examples ol colla|orarive relarions|ips
lor use ol dara, wir|, say, r|e |usiness communiry,
remain limired.
n reporrin_ parrial lulllmenr ol r|e commirmenr, r|e
K Governmenr nored r|e esra|lis|menr ol DG,
comprisin_ 13 exrernal specialisrs wir| experrise in
producin_, analysin_, and usin_ inlormarion. T|e
_roup's purpose is ro _ar|er views ol open dara users
and reusers ro inluence releases ol lree dara r|rou_|
_overnmenr's Dara Srrare_y Board . From Seprem|er
2012 ro May 2013, r|e Dara Srrare_y Board |as
received over 400 requesrs lor dara ro |e pu|lis|ed.
A road map ol requesrs received, r|eir srarus (e._.,
w|er|er released, |ein_ considered lor release, nor
capa|le ol release erc.) is mainrained online.
2
No c|allen_es were menrioned in makin_ requesrs
ro DG. Fequesrs are |ein_ made |y privare
individuals, academics, lar_e companies, small
|usinesses, and volunrary or_anisarions. Frivare
individuals make mosr ol r|e requesrs.
Fequesrers are expecred ro make a reasoned case as
ro w|y r|e dara s|ould |e disclosed. Cerrain requesrs
require a |usiness case ro |e made |y DG ro r|e
Dara Srrare_y Board, w|ic| will prioririse acrion
and invesrmenr.
T|e c|allen_e may lie in makin_ r|e |usiness case,
|ecause r|e |enelr may |e social or nonspecilc
(e._., cosrs may |e recouped only r|rou_| _eneral
raxarion revenues resulrin_ lrom economic _rowr|).
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol r|e
commirmenr |uildin_ on exisrin_ implemenrarion.
Many ol r|e S|akespeare Feview's exrensive and
am|irious recommendarions impacr r|is commirmenr.
n parricular, r|e review calls lor a crearion ol a "dara
inrelli_ence and innovarion _roup r|ar includes experrs
lrom wir|in and ourside _overnmenr r|ar as parr ol
irs wider role supporrs, c|allen_es and rakes lorward
r|inkin_ on |ow ro improve r|e collecrion, processin_
and use ol FS."
3
n rerms ol r|e nexr acrion plan, ir is unlikely r|ar
a specilc reporrin_ requiremenr on pu|lic service
providers will |e included. nsread, r|e plan is likely
ro call lor widenin_ r|e knowled_e a|our r|e social
and economic advanra_es ol inlormarion disclosure,
derived in parr lrom emer_in_ examples.
4
1
Shokespeore, "Shokespeore Revlew," Moy 2013, Cllclols 3 ond 4, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlews, 15 Moy 2013.
2
3
4
See Shokespeore, recommendoflon 7 lor on exomple, Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor ond Cllclol 3, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlews.
TOC
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Overseas development assistance:
Spend up to 5 percent of budget support
on strengthening local accountability
o Spend up to 5 percent of budget support
(as additional funds) on strengthening local
accountability to support progress towards
related OGP goals.
Include OGP eligibility criteria in assessment
for support
o Include the OGP eligibility criteria and related
datasets in our overall assessment processes,
which determines the readiness of partner gov-
ernments for UK budget support. This inclusion
will further strengthen our approach that is
based on robust assessments of partner

governments commitment to improving public
|nanca! nana_cncnt, :trcn_trcnn_ runan
rights; increasing domestic accountability and
reducing poverty.
Publish Aid information in line with the International
Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI)
o Publish aid information from all government
departments that spend overseas development
assistance (ODA) in line with the IATI standards,
extending coverage to other departments in
addition to the Department for International
Development. Within 12 months, we will have
agreed on a clear timetable for publication of
aid information with relevant departments.
what happened?
T|e FM researc|er lound su|sranrial lulllmenr ol r|is
clusrer ol commirmenrs, and r|e K _overnmenr sell
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeAd insTiTUTion Department for International Development
sUPPorTing insTiTUTions No
ogP grAnd CHALLenges ncreasin_ pu|lic inre_riry, More ellecrively mana_in_ pu|lic resources
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
30. 5% oF
Aid For
ACCoUnTABiLiTy
31. ogP eLigiBiL-
iTy CriTeriA
32. PUBLisH
Aid dATA
Cluster 15 | Overseas Development Assistance
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
CompLete
TOC
54
|
irm
|
assessmenr descri|ed r|em lulllled. A num|er ol r|e
commirmenrs on pu|lis|in_ aid dara are sc|eduled
ro rake place in 201314.
1
T|is sc|edule is in
keepin_ wir| r|e nired Kin_dom 's rimera|le lor
implemenrarion, pu|lis|in_ aid dara lrom some ol
r|e _overnmenr deparrmenrs would |e_in in 2013,
so pro_ress is on sc|edule.
Fro_ress on eac| commirmenr is dealr wir| individually.
Five percenr ol |ud_er supporr on srren_r|enin_
local accounra|iliry: T|e commirmenr ro spend up ro
S percenr ol |ud_er supporr on srren_r|enin_ local
accounra|iliry ro supporr pro_ress a_ainsr relared or
GF _oals would presuma|ly apply ro r|e pro_rams ol
r|e 11 counrries ro w|ic| |ud_er supporr is provided.
For example, Fwanda says an amounr equivalenr ro
approximarely S percenr ol K |ud_er supporr will
|e spenr on srren_r|enin_ domesric accounra|iliry
over r|e compre|ensive spendin_ review period.
2

Fro_rammes include supporrin_ key accounra|iliry
insrirurions suc| as Farliamenr (includin_ r|e Bud_er
Commirree and r|e Fu|lic Accounrs Commirree) and
r|e llce ol r|e Audiror General (AG).
3
GF crireria are included in assessmenr lor supporr:
T|e same documenr addresses r|e K Governmenr's
own GF Narional Acrion Flan commirmenr ro rake
inro accounr perlormance |y recipienr counrries
a_ainsr GF crireria w|en considerin_ decisions a|our
providin_ |ud_er
support. It says:
Accordin_ ro GF scorin_ crireria, (lscal rransparency,
access ro inlormarion, asser disclosure and aspecrs
ol cirizen en_a_emenr), Fwanda would |e unlikely ro
meer r|e eli_i|iliry r|res|old lor GF mem|ers|ip. A
num|er ol relorms r|ar are planned or already underway,
includin_ pu|lis|in_ r|e Execurive Bud_er Froposal, and
passin_ an Access ro nlormarion Law (currenrly |ein_
reviewed |y Farliamenr), s|ould increase Fwanda's score
si_nilcanrly.
4
Fu|licarion ol aid dara: Some aspecrs ol r|e clusrer
are ro |e lulllled in r|e near rerm wir| respecr
ro pu|lis|in_ aid inlormarion in line wir| AT
srandards, |owever, lor mosr deparrmenrs providin_
DA, pu|licarion will nor occur unril mid2013 ro
spring 2014. The UK Department for International
Developmenr (DFD) received r|e |i_|esr score
ol 72 or_anisarions inrernarionally assessed |y r|e
nonprolr or_anizarion Fu|lis| W|ar You Fund T|e
Glo|al Campai_n lor Aid Transparency. r said, "DFD
|as led r|e way _lo|ally in c|ampionin_ rransparency
and |as pioneered r|e pu|licarion ol irs own aid
inlormarion ro r|e nrernarional Aid Transparency
niriarive srandard."
5
Civil sociery _roups inrerviewed rook r|e view r|ar,
"T|e mosr si_nilcanr aid componenr ol r|e NAF
[national action plan] is the wholeofgovernment
approac| ro pu|lis|in_ aid inlormarion." T|ey
nored r|ar, " An am|irious rimera|le r|ar requires
pu|licarion ol all exrernal assisrance inlormarion (wir|
r|e use ol |esr pracrice exemprions policies w|ere
necessary) would |e a si_nilcanr ac|ievemenr and
would mainrain r|e K's _lo|al leaders|ip in r|is
imporranr area."
6
Some deparrmenrs will lnd pu|licarion ro r|e required
srandard c|allen_in_. nlike DFD, r|e Forei_n and
Commonwealr| llce (FC), w|ic| ranks o0r| ol 72
on r|e Aid Transparency ndex,
7
re_ards r|e inrenrion
ro "|e_in pu|lis|in_ DA dara in Marc| 2013,
workin_ ro lull implemenrarion ol r|e AT srandard
8
|y Marc| 2014" as am|irious. T|e exrenr ro w|ic| aid
rransparency and pu|licarion ro r|e AT re_isrry is no
lon_er a purely DFD locussed a_enda can |e seen,
lor example, |y r|e commirmenr in r|e narional acrion
plan ro |e_in ro pu|lis| dara lrom r|e |ome ollce
|y April 2013. (ndeed r|e AT Fe_isrry s|ows r|e
lrsr suc| dara pu|licarion was made on 10 April 2013
re_ardin_ "supporr ro r|ose _ranred relu_ee srarus in
r|e K.")
did it matter?
Alr|ou_| r|e commirmenr ro pu|lis| aid dara ro r|e
required srandard _oes |eyond r|e currenr pracrice
ol cerrain deparrmenrs, ir relecrs currenr (_ood)
pracrice. T|e K _overnmenr is a reco_nised leader
in aid rransparency and was amon_ r|e donors r|ar
esra|lis|ed AT in 2008 and DFD was one ol r|e
lrsr donors ro pu|lis| ro r|e necessary srandard.
It is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that the
commirmenrs can |e re_arded as measures
already underway or in r|e pipeline and "would
|ave |appened anyway" accordin_ ro one
srake|older inrerviewed.
TOC
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1
2
"Growfh ond Foverfy Reducflon Gronf fo fhe Governmenf ol Rwondo," Deporfmenf lor lnfernoflonol Developmenf (DFlD), (2012/132014/15). |rrp://|ir.ly/1lewWo
3
DFlD, "Growfh ond Foverfy Reducflon Gronf fo fhe Governmenf ol Rwondo." Buslness Cose v3., July 2012, (porogrophs 51 ond 58). |rrp://|ir.ly/18yaLT
4
lbld.
5
publish What You Fund, uk Aid transparency report Card 2012, |rrp://|ir.ly/WodW
6
open government partnership uk, uk Civil society perspectives on the national Action plan, |rrp://|ir.ly/J2r3Yr
7
Fubllsh Whof You Fund, "K Ald Tronsporency Reporf Cord 2012."
8
international Aid transparency initiative, |rrp://www.iarire_isrry.or_/pu|lis|er/|ooda
9
Jusflne Greenlng, "Ald Tronsporency ls K's Top Frlorlfy," Globol Frolesslonols Developmenf Nefwork, 2 November 2012, |rrp://|ir.ly/1oEMv
10
Andrew Clorke, Fubllsh Whof You Fund, Alon Hudson, CNE, of CGF clvll soclefy nefwork locus group.
11
CGF K Acflon Flon 2011.
T|ere is srron_ evidence ol r|e plans |ein_ carried
inro ellecr. As indicared, dara is |ein_ placed on r|e
AT Fe_isrry, includin_ lrom arms ol _overnmenr r|ar
|ave nor previously done so. A rimera|le is in place
lor lurure pu|licarion ol dara ro r|e required srandard.
Currenr proposals lor |ud_erary supporr relecr r|e
commirmenr ro make an assessmenr r|ar includes
GF eli_i|iliry crireria. T|e _overnmenr |as acrively
drawn arrenrion ro r|e increased rransparency ol irs aid
pro_ramme in r|e media.
9
nsolar as r|e implemenrarion consisrs ol a sc|edule
lor more inlormarion ro |e made availa|le ro r|e
required srandard, srake|olders are adoprin_
a warc|in_ |riel. For some ol r|e _overnmenr
deparrmenrs, r|e necessary level ol rransparency is
said ro require a culrural s|ilr r|ar may |e c|allen_in_,
given previous performance.
10
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension |uildin_
on exisrin_ implemenrarion. T|e immediare nexr srep
is ro meer r|e sc|edule lor improved rransparency |y
all arms ol _overnmenr involved in r|e provision ol aid
wir|in r|e period sc|eduled lor delivery.
Beyond r|ar, r|e FM researc|er recommends r|ar
srake|olders look ro r|e K Governmenr ro rake an
inrernarional lead on increased secroral rransparency,
lor example, in exrracrive indusrries, narural resource
use, raxarion, and conrracrin_, w|ic| would spur
greater transparency in commercial activities. The
dralr K Narional Acrion Flan 2013
11
indicares r|ar
commirmenrs in r|ese areas are under considerarion.
TOC
56
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TOC
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57
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeAd insTiTUTion Ca|iner llce Di_iral Team
sUPPorTing insTiTUTions Relevant agencies
ogP vALUes Access ro inlormarion, Farriciparion, Tec|nolo_y and innovarion
ogP grAnd CHALLenges mprovin_ pu|lic services, mprovin_ pu|lic inre_riry
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
33. singLe
domAin
34. CHAnneL
sHiFT To
onLine
Cluster 16 | Information and Communications Technology: Going Digital
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
UK Government Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) Strategy:
Use a single domain for government services.
Accc:: tc data c||cr: xcy ocnc|t: oy cnao!n_
access to online transactional services, which makes
life simpler and more convenient for citizens and
businesses (for instance in accessing and applying
for student loans or jobseekers allowance) and
offers channels to collaborate and share information
with citizens and business. This in turn enables the
innovation of new online tools and services.
o For these reasons the government will work to
make citizen-focussed transactional services
digital by default. Where appropriate, this will
be done by using Directgov as the single do-
main for citizens to access public services and
government information. Direcr._ov.uk is the UK
Governments digital service for all citizens, pro-
viding a single point of access to public sector
information and services. The site receives more
than 15 million visits a month, from around 8
million unique users.
o For those for whom digital channels are less
accessible (for example, some older or disad-
vantaged people) the government will enable a
network of assisted digital service providers,
:ucr a: c:t c||cc:, UK cn!nc ccntrc:, and
other local service providers.
Mandate a channel shift.
o To make citizens lives simpler and easier, the gov-
ernment will mandate a channel shift,moving
information onlinein selected government services.
what happened?
Si_nilcanr pro_ress |as |een made on aspecrs ol
r|ese commirmenrs. W|ile r|e acrion plan provided no
rimeline, r|e FM researc|er, |ased on inrerviews, lnds
most elements of these commitments are on time or
a|ead ol r|e sc|edule.
TOC
58
|
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|
Fe_ardin_ r|e use ol a sin_le domain lor _overnmenr
services, Gov.uk was launc|ed successlully as parr
ol r|e K Di_iral |y Delaulr iniriarive ro pur all
government transactional services online.
1
To assist the 20 percent of UK citizens who are not
online, r|e _overnmenr |as pu|lis|ed irs "Approac|
ro Assisred Di_iral" and is currenrly resrin_ ir via 2S
"exemplar" services. Approac| ro Assisred Di_iral will
ensure r|ar K cirizens w|o are olline |ave access
ro _overnmenr services. A pu|licarion descri|in_ r|e
service srares, "Feople w|o need r|is supporr will |e
a|le ro access a service lace ro lace, |y p|one, or in
anor|er appropriare nondi_iral way, wir| someone
eir|er inpurrin_ r|eir dara inro r|e di_iral sysrem on
r|eir |e|all, or |elpin_ r|em pur r|eir dara inro r|e
di_iral service r|emselves."
2
In that sense, this portion
of the commitment is still in progress.
Followin_ r|e cenrral _overnmenr's Di_iral |y
Delaulr iniriarive and r|e c|annel s|ilr mandare, eac|
deparrmenr |as also released irs own srrare_y.
3

did it matter?
Many ol r|ese iniriarives |e_an |elore |ein_ lormalised
inro r|e acrion plan. Even so, si_nilcanr pro_ress was
made, mosr imporranrly in mainrainin_ r|e momenrum
ol mandarin_ a_enrial and insrirurional uprake.
verall, one srake|older c|aracrerised r|ese c|an_es
as a "radical s|ilr in online _overnmenr" r|ar |as
allowed _overnmenr ro |e more responsive.
4

T|ere is srron_ evidence ol pu|lic uprake ol many
elements of these commitments:
Accordin_ ro r|e sellassessmenr, r|e uniled _ov-
ernment site receives more than 15 million visits a
monr|, lrom around 8 million unique users."
T|e assisrance porral |as a luncrion lor pu|lic
commenrary on r|e exemplars r|ar appears ro
|e well monirored.
5

T|e Di_iral Leaders pro_ramme, w|ile nor parr
ol a commirmenr, was responsi|le lor evaluarin_
compliance wir| r|e c|annel s|ilr and will pu|lis|
an annual review in Decem|er 2013.
6

All 24 Minisrerial deparrmenrs are online, alr|ou_|
only 31 ol r|e 300plus or|er pu|lic |odies
|ave s|ilred.
ne srake|older inrerviewed seemed disappoinred
wir| perlormance ol r|e "assisred di_iral" commirmenr
ro |rid_e r|e di_iral divide. r |as |een poinred our
r|ar suc| a commirmenr is dillculr ro implemenr wir|in
an ausreriry |ud_er.

moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends conrinued
implementation of the commitment, especially
expansion and monirorin_ ol r|e "Approac| ro
Assisred Di_iral" ellorr.
8
1
Tom Loosemore, "Announclng fhe Befo ol Gov.K," Governmenf Dlglfol Servlce, |rrp://|ir.ly/z2Aspd
2
description of Assisted digital: |rrp://|ir.ly/1l7d12p
3
Links to digital strategies of each department: |rrp://|ir.ly/|c1zp
4
Tlm Dovles, Frocflcol Forflclpoflon, personol communlcoflon wlfh lRM feom, 21 June, 2013.
5
example of assistance portal interaction: |rrp://|ir.ly/13SBzL
6
digital Leaders, |rrp://di_iralleaders.co.uk/
7
lbld.
8
lbld.
TOC
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59
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeAd insTiTUTion Ca|iner llce Di_iral Team
sUPPorTing insTiTUTions Relevant agencies
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
35. onLine
ConsULTATion
36. soCiAL mediA
gUideLines
Cluster 17 | ICT: Improving Public Engagement through ICT
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
UK Government Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) Strategy:
Go online for all consultations: To facilitate a
twoway dialogue with citizens, departments will
ensure that an online channel is included in all
government consultations.
Practical guidelines for departments on social me-
dia: To embed social media as a mainstream chan-
nel used routinely to engage with citizens, business,
and internally, the government will develop practical
guidelines on departmental access to the internet
and social media channels.
what happened?
The various aspects of this commitment were
complered. W|ile r|e acrion plan provided no
timeline, most elements of these commitments seem
ro |e pro_ressin_ durin_ r|e implemenrarion period.
Government consultations are fully online. Each
consulrarion provides |yperlinked inlormarion
a|our r|e responsi|le deparrmenr and Minisrer as
well as the relevant government policy. Relevant
documenrarion (reporrs, proposals) is availa|le lor
download as |or| FDF and MS Word lles. T|e F
policy is pu|lis|ed ar r|e |orrom ol eac| pa_e.
1
T|e _overnmenr pu|lis|ed irs social media _uide-
lines in May 2012, lullllin_ r|ar commirmenr.
2
did it matter?
T|ere is some evidence ol pu|lic uprake ol many
elements of these commitments:
T|e assisrance porral |as a luncrion lor pu|lic com-
menrary r|ar appears ro |e well monirored.
3
Several _overnmenrmana_ed social media accounrs
are popular. T|e _overnmenr uses r|e Hi_|way Code
as an example: ir |as over 22,000 lollowers on Twirrer.
r|er deparrmenrs |ave parriciparory social media
ourlers, includin_ r|e Deparrmenr ol Healr|'s "Healr|
Conversarions" on Face|ook.
4
It is not clear from the
FM researc| w|er|er r|e c|an_e in policy |as led ro
increased en_a_emenr and use ol pu|lic leed|ack.
TOC
60
|
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|
Consultations, although online, are not shown in a
pu|lic docker lormar w|ere or|er parricipanrs can
see r|e commenrary. nsread, r|e sire requires email
su|missions r|ar are larer compiled inro an analyrical
"summary ol responses" r|ar r|e _overnmenr releases
on the same site.
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends expansion |uildin_
on r|e exisrin_ commirmenr. T|e exisrin_ pu|lic
parriciparion plarlorms s|ow summarized commenrs.
n r|e lurure, documenrarion and commenrary s|ould
|e made availa|le in a lormar r|ar allows r|e pu|lic ro
read or|er pu|lic commenrs.
1
Consultation site: |rrp://|ir.ly/X4rTku
2
social media guidance: |rrp://|ir.ly/11ZorSS
3
example of assistance portal interaction: |rrp://|ir.ly/13SBzL
4
social media examples: |rrp://|ir.ly/1oLL27, |rrp://on.l|.me/1eppaks
TOC
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61
UK Government ICT Strategy:
Open data for businesses:
o The government will open its data and applica-
tion interfaces in ways that encourage business-
es and social providers to develop new market
opportunities. For example, the website Mums-
net uses Directgov tools built on standardised
interfaces to provide users with uptodate
information on schools and family services.
Crossgovernment standards on Automated Pro-
gramming Interfaces (APIs):
o To open up new, innovative services from a
diverse range of providers, the government will
create crossgovernment standards on APIs
and develop a quality assurance kitemark.
Standardised formats for user satisfaction data:
o The government will establish standardised
formats for user satisfaction data so that users
can compare and contrast their experience of
the service they receive with that of others.
what happened?
T|e specilc commirmenrs ro open dara lor |usiness
and AF srandards are incomplere ar r|e rime ol wririn_
and will nor |e complered durin_ r|e implemenrarion
period lor r|e currenr acrion plan. Bor| r|e open dara
lor |usiness and cross_overnmenr AF srandards
commitments were waiting on the provision of open
AF access ro conrenr and dara ar _ov.uk, expecred in
cro|er 2013.
1
Fro_ress on r|e commirmenr on srandardized lormars
lor user sarislacrion is limired. However r|e dares ro
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeAd insTiTUTion Unclear
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
37. oPen dATA
For BUsiness
Use
38. APi
sTAndArds
39. sATisFACTion
dATA
Cluster 18 | ICT: Improving Interfaces
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
CompLete
TOC
62
|
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|
acrually roll our r|ese srandards as porrrayed in r|e
sellassessmenr seem si_nilcanrly sooner r|an r|e
dares _iven on r|e _overnmenr we|sires in quesrion.
T|e we|sires lor new Di_iral |y Delaulr orienrarion
2

do nor require deparrmenrs ro implemenr r|e
changes until 2014, while the self assessment says,
"T|e Di_iral |y Delaulr service srandard will ser our a
mer|odolo_y lor consisrenr user sarislacrion merrics
across Governmenr services. T|is will |e launc|ed in
April 2013."
did it matter?
T|is commirmenr |as nor |een implemenred.
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends lurr|er work on |asic
implemenrarion, eir|er |y renewin_ r|e commirmenr in
r|e acrion plan or clarilyin_ and possi|ly accelerarin_
r|e rimera|le lor provision ol open AF access.
1
service standard: |rrp://|ir.ly/ZoMMF4
2
K Coblnef Cllce, "Governmenf Dlglfol Sfrofegy," November 2012. |rrp://|ir.ly/1So|in
TOC
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63
CommiTmenT sUmmAry
LeAd insTiTUTion Government Digital Service (GDS)
LeveL oF
ComPLeTion
40. oPen doCU-
menT FormATs
41. Crowd-
soUrCe dATA
sTAndArds
Cluster 19 | ICT: Developing Open Data Standards
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
(CuRREnT) not
(PROJECTED)
CompLete
CompLete
UK Government ICT Strategy:
Provide government documents in open standard
format. The government believes that citizens
should be able to read government documents with
a standardised document format reader of their
crccc. Trc |r:t wavc c| ccnu!:cry ccn :tandard:
will determine, through open consultation, the rele-
vant open standard for all government documents.
Implement crowdsourcing and engagement
processes: To ensure that appropriate data is
transparent and shared rather than duplicated, the
government will implement engagement processes
for open data standards activity and crowdsource
priority areas for data standards.
what happened?
Through a process of open consultation, the
_overnmenr released r|e pen Srandards Frinciples in
Novem|er 2012 (accordin_ ro r|e sellassessmenr) and
updared ir in April 2013.
1
Belore r|e Governmenr Di_iral Service (GDS) could
pro_ress wir| r|is commirmenr, ir |eld pu|lic
consulrarion ro clarily irs delnirion ol open srandards.
T|e _overnmenr launc|ed r|e crowdsourcin_
plarlorm, Srandards Hu|, currenrly in |era, w|ere
ir pu|lis|es c|allen_es and invires r|e pu|lic ro
commenr (in pu|lic lorums), commenr on or|er
useridenriled c|allen_es, and develop proposals.
Alrer r|e closin_ ol a commenr period, r|e aur|or
of the challenge (either the government or another
user) c|ooses w|ic| proposal ro su|mir ro r|e pen
Srandards Board, w|ic| can adopr r|e srandard.
T|e sire is r|en used ro moniror implemenrarion
ol r|e srandard.
2

T|e _overnmenr adopred a royalrylree delnirion ol
open srandards r|ar ena|les GDSs open srandards
ro |e implemenred in |or| open source and
proprietary software.
3
By r|e GDS's own admission, "Fesource ro develop
dara srandards cannor always keep pace wir| r|e
TOC
64
|
irm
|
requiremenrs ol srake|olders," |ur "a Breakr|rou_|
Fund, provided |y r|e K's Dara Srrare_y Board is
|elpin_ some deparrmenrs ro lund pro|ecrs ro develop
dara srandards."
4
did it matter?
T|e mana_emenr ol online parriciparion needed ro
carry our r|is commirmenr required a si_nilcanr srrerc|
on the part of government, especially GDS.
As evidence ol uprake, r|e Srandards Hu|, ar r|e rime
ol wririn_, |osrs ei_|r ropics lor de|are and pu|lic
inpur. Addirionally, r|e pu|lic |as idenriled ei_|r
ropics lor discussion. T|ere were 2S commenrs on r|e
ei_|r _overnmenrdelned c|allen_es. T|is limired
usa_e is pro|a|ly due ro r|e |i_|ly rec|nical and
specilc narure ol r|e c|allen_es posed.
Accordin_ ro one srake|older, GDS, r|e deparrmenr
leadin_ r|e K's r|ree CT commirmenrs |as |een
r|e leasr involved in r|e GF process. Alr|ou_|
r|e commirmenrs r|emselves |ave yielded posirive
e_overnmenr resulrs, _overnmenr |as nor |een
perceived as capiralizin_ on r|ese developmenrs
to improve citizen participation, transparency,
and accounra|iliry.
5
moving forward
T|e FM researc|er recommends exrension ol r|is
commirmenr in r|e nexr acrion plan, |uildin_ on
exisrin_ implemenrarion. n parricular, r|e Srandards
Hu| s|ould conrinue as a plarlorm lor pu|lic de|are
on documenr lormars. T|e K Governmenr |as
reco_nized r|ar, "T|e issue ol documenr lormars
will _enerare a si_nilcanr amounr ol de|are. We will
em|ark on r|e selecrion ol documenr srandards once
our selecrion process and r|e rools ro supporr ir |ave
|een resred."
6
To ena|le r|is selecrion, r|e Srandards Hu| s|ould
conrinue ro |e developed accordin_ ro plan.
Accordin_ ro GDS, "T|e Srandards Hu| is |ein_
developed lurr|er, rakin_ on |oard leed|ack lrom
users. Flannin_ is underway ro |e_in r|e work on
documenr lormars, includin_ |ow we will en_a_e
wir| srake|olders r|rou_| r|e Srandards Hu| and
in workin_ _roups."
7
Suc| en_a_emenr can include
leed|ack ro parriciparin_ individuals on |ow dara
s|ould |e used.
1
open standards principles: |rrp://|ir.ly/18WWSMe
2
Sfondords Hub: |rrp://srandards.dara._ov.uk/
3
Cllcer, K Governmenf Dlglfol Servlce, personol communlcoflon wlfh fhe lRM, 23 June, 2013.
4
lbld.
5
Tlm Dovles, Frocflcol Forflclpoflon, personol communlcoflon wlfh lRM feom, 21 June, 2013.
6
lbld.
7
lbld.
TOC
V
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SELFASESSMENT CHECKLlST
|
65
V | SELFASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
T|e sellassessmenr process in r|e nired Kin_dom wenr well. T|e _overnmenr sellassessmenr was pu|lis|ed
on 24 April 2013. T|e dralr was pur up lor pu|lic commenr accordin_ ro GF _uidelines lrom 21S April. W|ile
a num|er ol pu|lic commenrs were su|mirred, r|e FM researc|er was una|le ro lnd eir|er a specilc num|er
ol commenrs or a summary ol commenrs. T|e reporr conrains an updare on eac| commirmenr, alr|ou_| some
commirmenrs lall ourside r|e prescri|ed assessmenr period.
1
Cllclol 1, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, CGF K Noflonol Acflon Flon SellAssessmenf Reporf, Crocdoc SellAssessmenf Reporf (Flnol Aprll 2nd),
|rrp://personal.crocodoc.com/Fivlu2F.
was annual progress report published?

Yes No
was it done according to schedule?
Yes No
is the report available in the local language(s)? According to stakeholders, was this adequate?
Yes No
is the report available in english?
Yes No
did the government provide a twoweek public comment period on draft
selfassessment reports?
Yes No
were any public comments received?
Yes No
is the report deposited in the ogP portal?
Yes No
did the selfassessment report include review of consultation efforts?
Yes No
did the report cover all of the commitments?
Yes No
did it assess completion according to schedule?
Yes No
Does tbe report reafrm responsibiIity for openness?
Yes No
does the report describe the relationship of the action plan with grand challenge areas?
Yes No
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VI | MOVING FORWARD
This section reviews the current national context for the existing action plan and provides
general recommendations on development and implementation of the next action plan.
natIOnal cOntext
T|e nired Kin_dom |as raken a num|er ol acrions r|ar
affect its participation in OGP. These actions inform the
conrexr in w|ic| r|e nexr acrion plan is |ein_ developed.
Access to information
T|e Frorecrion ol r|e Freedoms Bill 2012 complered irs
passa_e r|rou_| Farliamenr and received Foyal assenr
1 May 2012.
1
T|e Frorecrions ol Freedoms Acr 2012 includes
c|an_es ro r|e nired Kin_dom's access ro
inlormarion re_ime. r delnes 'daraser' and requires
pu|lic aur|oriries, as lar as is reasona|ly pracrica|le,
ro provide darasers in a reusa|le lormar w|en
respondin_ ro lreedom ol inlormarion requesrs. r
makes or|er provisions re_ardin_ ol lees and licenses
lor reuse ol dara.
2
T|e Acr widens r|e delnirion ol
a pu|lic aur|oriry ro w|ic| r|e o|li_arions ol r|e
Freedom ol nlormarion (F) Acr 2000 apply.
T|e K Farliamenr's Jusrice Commirree pu|lis|ed a
postlegislative scrutiny of the FOI Act 2000 in July
2012.
3
T|e _overnmenr re|ecred a num|er ol r|e
committees conclusions. For instance the committee
expressed concern r|ar pu|lic aur|oriries rourinely
exrended r|e rime raken ro respond ro requesrs lor
inlormarion, sayin_, "r is nor accepra|le r|ar pu|lic
aur|oriries are a|le ro kick requesrs inro r|e lon_ _rass
|y |oldin_ inrermina|le inrernal reviews." However,
r|e _overnmenr relused ro amend r|e srarure ro
require aur|oriries ro conducr inrernal reviews wir|in
20 days (as in Scorland), |ur would incorporare r|is
rimelrame in a code ol pracrice, alon_ wir| a similar
indicarive period lor exrensions raken |y aur|oriries
ro consider w|er|er disclosure is in r|e pu|lic inreresr.
T|e _overnmenr also si_nalled r|ar ir was "minded
ro explore oprions lor providin_ r|ar rime raken ro
consider and redacr inlormarion can |e included in
reac|in_ r|e cosr limirs," r|us allowin_ more srall rime
ro |e c|ar_ed r|an was previously allowed.
4

T|e _overnmenr responded ro r|e Jusrice Commirree's
concerns over lack ol access ro inlormarion |eld |y
oursourced pu|lic services |y sayin_ r|ar irs Frorecrion
ol Freedoms Acr |rou_|r over 100 addirional |odies
wir|in r|e scope ol F |y includin_ companies w|olly
owned |y any num|er ol pu|lic aur|oriries and added,
"We inrend ro conrinue consulrarions wir| over 200
more or_anisarions, includin_ r|e Local Governmenr
Group, Narional Healr| Service Conlederarion,
|ar|our aur|oriries, and awardin_ |odies, a|our r|eir
possi|le inclusion in relarion ro luncrions ol a pu|lic
narure r|ar r|ey perlorm, and r|en ro consulr more
r|an 2000 |ousin_ associarions on r|e same |asis."
However, r|e _overnmenr a_reed wir| r|e commirree
r|ar conrracrual o|li_arions s|ould |e placed on
pu|lic service providers, w|ic| |ave nor |een
srarurorily |rou_|r wir|in r|e scope ol F, ro provide
inlormarion ro allow r|e conrracrin_ pu|lic aur|oriry ro
lullll F requiremenrs.
Public Participation
T|e Civil Service Felorm Flan issued |y r|e
_overnmenr in July 2012 included a sraremenr r|ar
"pen policy makin_ will |ecome r|e delaulr."
|servin_ r|ar W|ire|all does nor |ave a monopoly
on policymakin_ experrise,"
5
ir underrook rook ro:
Esra|lis| a clear model ol open policymakin_.
Filor conresra|le policymakin_ |y esra|lis|in_ a
cenrrally |eld marc| lund r|ar can |e used |y Min-
isrers ro commission exrernal policy developmenr
(lor example, |y academics and r|ink ranks).
T|e House ol Commons Fu|lic Adminisrrarion Selecr
Commirree endorsed r|e aspirarion |ur nored,
"T|ere is _rear porenrial lor open and conresred
policymakin_ ro deliver _enuine pu|lic en_a_emenr.
T|ere is also a risk ol disappoinrmenr and scepricism
amon_sr r|e pu|lic a|our r|e impacr ol r|eir
parriciparion, and r|ar Governmenr lisrens only ro r|e
media, lo||yin_ and "r|e usual suspecrs."
6

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68
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IndePendent revIew Of PublIc
sectOr InfOrmatIOn
T|e _overnmenr commissioned Srep|an S|akespeare,
lounder and C|iel Execurive llcer ol r|e Briris|
nrerner|ased marker researc| and opinion poll
company YouGov, ro conducr an independenr review
ol pu|lic secror inlormarion (FS).
His reporr, r|e S|akespeare Feview, pu|lis|ed in May
2013, conrained nine recommendarions. T|ey include a
call lor a Narional Dara Srrare_y, wir| a sin_le |ody ro
|e _iven r|e responsi|iliry lor drivin_ increased access
to PSI. The review proposes that every government
deparrmenr and or|er pu|licly lunded |odies
make an immediare commirmenr ro pu|lis| irs core
relerence dara on an a_reed rimera|le. S|akespeare
said, "We s|ould expecr sysremaric and rransparenr
use ol adminisrrarive dara and or|er rypes ol FS in
r|e lormularion, implemenrarion, monirorin_ and
adaprarion ol _overnmenr policy and service delivery,
and lormally em|ed r|is in r|e democraric process."
7

(Felerence |as |een made r|rou_|our r|is assessmenr
to elements of his review).
There is no mention of the role of OGP in the report,
or ol |ow irs recommendarions would impacr currenr
or proposed commirmenrs lor r|e K acrion plans.
However r|e _overnmenr's derailed response (T|e
Governmenr Fesponse ro S|akespeare Feview ol
Fu|lic Secror nlormarion, June 2013) indicared r|ar,
"T|e Narional Dara Srrare_y will |e raken lorward
r|rou_| r|e nlormarion Economy Srrare_y .and
we will set out our implementation plans through the
K GF Narional Acrion Flan, w|ic| will |e pu|lis|ed
in cro|er."
8
T|us, r|e _overnmenr appeared nor ro |e mindlul
ol r|e view r|ar r|e lrsr acrion plan was overloaded
wir| open dara o||ecrives. T|e S|akespeare Feview
proposals and r|e _overnmenr response ro r|em
|ave a si_nilcanr |earin_ on r|e nired Kin_dom's
rransparency a_enda and s|ould |e relecred in r|e
acrion plan. However, many srake|olders' desire r|ar
a wider scope ol GF _rand c|allen_es |e addressed
and r|ar key commirmenrs relecr a more |alanced
acrion plan. Moreover r|e _overnmenr's pu|lic
commirmenr ro ser our r|e implemenrarion derails
of the National Data Strategy in its OGP action plan,
prior ro r|e pu|licarion ol a dralr or indeed wir|our
r|e en_a_emenr ol r|e civil sociery srake|olders lorum
and or|ers involved in r|e coproducrion process,
|i_|li_|rs some ol r|e complexiry ol meerin_ open
policy expecrarions.
Current (2011) Action Plan
The UK OGP National Action Plan 2011 has the
c|aracrerisrics ol a documenr creared ro meer an
o|li_arion and a deadline. r com|ines specilc,
somerimes |i_|ly rec|nical, commirmenrs, relecrive
ol acriviry r|ar was clearly underway prior ro r|e
dralrin_ ol r|e documenr, alon_side a num|er ol
asserrive policy commirmenrs r|ar lack derail. T|e
_overnmenr rakes r|e view r|ar as an early adoprer
(one ol r|e ei_|r loundin_ counrries) ir was imporranr
ro en_ender inreresr and enr|usiasm |y _errin_ r|e
iniriarive up and runnin_ and ro make relnemenrs as
marrers pro_ressed.
T|e _overnmenr cannor |e laulred lor includin_ in
r|e narional acrion plan some ol r|e mosr si_nilcanr
elemenrs ol irs on_oin_ rransparency srrare_y and
also drawin_ on r|e |esr learures ol inrernarionally
reco_nised successes suc| as irs inrernarional
developmenr assisrance.
However, r|e consequence |as |een ro |eavily skew
r|e narure ol r|e acrion plan rowards r|e domesric
pen Dara A_enda, as delivered |y _overnmenr
deparrmenrs and ens|rined in r|e "pen Dara W|ire
Faper" ol 2012.
Since r|e GF K Narional Acrion Flan was pu|lis|ed,
r|ere |as |een a c|an_e in _overnmenr arrirude on
|ow |esr ro deliver irs commirmenrs. T|e _overnmenr
|ad indicared r|ar, "ur proposed approac| is,
lundamenrally, a|our crearin_ |or| 'pull' (a ri_|r ro
dara) and 'pus|' (a presumprion ol pu|licarion)."
However r|e "pull" elemenr, as arriculared in r|e GF
K Narional Acrion Flan commirmenrs olren involved
o|li_arions or sancrions, some ol w|ic| would require
a srarurory or re_ularory underpinnin_. T|is approac|
appears to run contrary to the governments inclination
ro reduce r|e re_ularory |urden.
As a consequence, r|e locus |as s|ilred ro srimularin_
a culrure ol disclosin_ inlormarion rar|er r|an crearin_
o|li_arions, and a li_|r rouc| approac| is prelerred
over |eavy|anded insisrence. As r|e "pus|"
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69
predominared over r|e "pull," some commirmenrs
were nor pursued or were ad|usred accordin_ly.
n r|e course ol r|is FM review, srake|olders idenriled
acrion plan commirmenrs r|ar, |y _eneral consensus,
are si_nilcanr and display demonsrra|le ac|ievemenrs.
T|ey also expressed concern a|our or|er si_nilcanr
commirmenrs lor w|ic| lulllmenr was limired, or w|ic|
|ad |een wir|drawn |y r|e _overnmenr.
9
Amon_ r|e mosr si_nilcanr ac|ievemenrs,
srake|olders idenriled:
T|e release ol dara across cenrral _overnmenr co
ordinared |y r|e Ca|iner llce
T|e success ol di_iral plarlorms suc| as _ov.uk and
dara._ov.uk
T|e inrernarional lead on overseas developmenr
assisrance rransparency |y DFD.
T|e areas r|ar _ave rise ro concern included:
T|e limired pro_ress on lon_srandin_ commirmenrs
ro rourinely pu|lis| evidence and dara|ases |e|ind
policy statements
T|e wir|drawal or limired lulllmenr ol aspecrs ol
r|e ri_|r ro dara commirmenrs, lor example, r|e
removal ol r|e |i_|er cosr cap lor F lor dara |eld
wir|in T sysrems procured alrer July 2012 and a lack
ol clariry a|our r|e ri_|r ro darasers and condirions
for reuse.
l course, c|an_es ro a narional acrion plan and irs
commirmenrs s|ould |e expecred. However, ir would |e
wrong to characterise the UK National Action Plan as a
"livin_ documenr," w|ic| was consulred on and amended
in r|e li_|r ol experience and discussion wir| srake|olders.
n lacr, w|ar was mosr srrikin_ w|en conducrin_ r|is
independenr review, was r|e lack ol re_ard rowards r|e
lrsr K Narional Acrion Flan s|own |y |or| _overnmenr
ollcials and civil sociery srake|olders.
Few ol r|ose inrerviewed or en_a_ed in r|e course
ol r|is review |ad direcr inpur inro r|e ori_inal acrion
plan. Several prolessed ro |ave |arely considered
irs conrenrs since irs su|mission. Many civil sociery
srake|olders dismissed ir as |ein_ dominared |y
r|e _overnmenr's inrernal open dara a_enda, olren
expressed in rec|nical derail, w|ic| did nor resonare
with their priorities or concerns.
T|is disallecrion resulrs parrly lrom r|e perceived lack ol
consulrarion ar r|e ourser. As r|e |lo_, "K Civil Sociery
Ferspecrives on r|e Narional Acrion Flan," o|serves:
T|ere |as |een no dedicared and compre|ensive
consultation with civil society on the UKs OGP
commirmenrs. We do nor consider r|e currenr ellorrs ro
consrirure an adequare 'pen Governmenr Farrners|ip'
consulrarion lramework. ver 2012 r|e K Governmenr
will need ro rake sreps in colla|orarion wir| Civil Sociery
ro develop an updared NAF r|ar rakes accounr ol a
|roader ran_e ol concerns.
10
General ObservatIOns
and recOmmendatIOns
n 2012, measures were raken in response ro concern
a|our r|e 2011 acrion plan's r|e |eavy locus on dara,
alr|ou_| r|e locus ol r|e colla|orarion wir| civil
sociery was nor primarily on ad|usrin_ r|e exisrin_ plan
|ur rar|er on arricularin_ o||ecrives lor a new narional
action plan.
n a si_nilcanr improvemenr over r|e previous process,
discussion |as |een conducred over a prolon_ed period
and |as en_a_ed over 30 srake|olders in a srrucrured
lorum (civil sociery _roups meerin_ wir| Ca|iner llce
ollcials on a re_ular |asis). T|is process is seen as an
arrempr ar a coproducrion, r|ar is, developin_ a dralr
ro_er|er rar|er r|an askin_ srake|olders ro review a
dralr prepared |y _overnmenr.
T|e new dralr plan was pu|lis|ed on 27 June 2013.
Followin_ a consulrarion period ro 1 Seprem|er, r|e
lnal plan was ro |e pu|lis|ed 31 cro|er 2013.
11
ndicarions are r|ar new plan will exrend irs scope
ro address r|e _rand c|allen_es ol "increasin_
corporare accounra|iliry," and "implemenrin_ r|e
|i_|esr srandards ol prolessional inre_riry r|rou_|our
our adminisrrarions," in addirion ro r|e exisrin_
commirmenrs ol "improvin_ pu|lic services" and
"more ellecrively mana_in_ pu|lic resources."
Mosr ol r|ose en_a_ed in r|is dialo_ue speak
posirively ol r|e approac| raken |y _overnmenr
ollcials. T|e _overnmenr |as expressed a commirmenr
ro open policy makin_.
12
T|e dralrin_ ol a new narional
acrion plan provided an opporruniry ro demonsrrare
|ow r|is could |e done.
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nsread ol |ein_ en_a_ed in r|e rimeworn process
ol r|e _overnmenr serrin_ r|e limirs ol r|e a_enda,
issuin_ a dralr proposal, and r|en seekin_ commenrs,
parricipanrs said r|ey were en_a_ed in a process ol
coproducrion. ne srake|older said, " approac|ed
ir lull ol scepricism |ur was impressed |y r|e _enuine
arrirude ol r|e Transparency Team srall."
However, the process may have given rise to
|ei_|rened expecrarions as ro r|e evenrual ourcome.
At the time of this review, there was concern that
several ol r|e issues and proposed commirmenrs
raised |y civil sociery or_anisarions |ad |een placed
in an annex rar|er r|an in r|e main |ody ol r|e dralr
narional acrion plan. Ar issue is r|e exrenr ro w|ic| civil
sociery proposals will |e adopred |y r|e _overnmenr
lor inclusion in r|e lnal narional acrion plan.
13
l parricular concern ro some |as |een r|e
perceived arrirude rowards F as a key componenr
ol r|e a_enda. ne srake|older concluded r|ar,
"Commirmenrs around Freedom ol nlormarion
le_islarion are nor included |ecause _overnmenr
and civil sociery are pullin_ in dillerenr direcrions."
14
Some lormed r|e impression r|ar a rradeoll was
rakin_ place, wir| r|e requiremenr ro pu|lis| more
dara |ein_ rempered |y r|e prospecr ol _overnmenr
measures ro in|i|ir r|e volume ol responses ro F
requesrs. l so, suc| an approac| lails ro reco_nize,
ir was poinred our, r|ar some ol r|e inlormarion and
dara now |ein_ readily disclosed |y _overnmenr
and or|er aur|oriries, was inirially pur inro r|e pu|lic
domain |y F requesrs, olren in r|e lace ol
agency resistance.
llcials inrerviewed reco_nised r|ar r|e lrsr acrion
plan was |eavily inluenced |y w|ar _overnmenr was
already doin_ or planned ro do, wir| a parricular locus
on open dara. T|ey valued r|e coproducrion approac|
and lelr r|e _overnmenr s|ould reco_nise r|e added
value policies _ain w|en r|ey are developed r|rou_| an
exc|an_e ol diverse ideas and conrri|urions lrom experrs
and r|ose w|o work on r|e _round.
However, ollcials |ad lorr|ri_|r views a|our |ow civil
sociery _roups s|ould approac| r|ar en_a_emenr. n
r|eir view, civil sociery or_anisarions s|ould idenrily
w|ic| policies need prioriry acrion and w|ic| ones
could wair. "Fick r|e ri_|r |arrles worr| l_|rin_,"
advised one. Furr|ermore ir was said, w|ile civil sociery
seeks immediare acrion, _overnmenr needs rime ro
properly consider wider implicarions.
15
W|ile r|e 201213 process ol developin_ r|e GF
acrion plan may |ave improved, and leed|ack lrom
r|ose involved |as |een posirive, ir is nor wir|our
lamiliar lailin_s. r en_a_ed a limired num|er ol
civil sociery or_anisarions, mosr ol r|em |ased in
London. (T|ere was lirrle evidence r|ar r|e devolved
adminisrrarions in Scorland, Wales, and Norr|ern
reland were en_a_ed in r|e process ol a_reein_ on
a K GF plan norwir|srandin_ r|ar some ol r|e
o||ecrives lall wir|in r|e scope ol r|eir responsi|iliry.
Given r|ar GF acrion plans s|ould include all relevanr
acrors, |or| rar_ers and |enelciaries, r|is lack ol
en_a_emenr s|ould |e addressed.)
Concerns |ave |een expressed r|ar _overnmenr
deparrmenrs (and r|eir own srake|older _roups) ourside
ol r|e Ca|iner llce, w|ic| would |e allecred |y r|e
proposals, |ave nor yer |een sullcienrly en_a_ed in r|e
coproducrion process. As a resulr, r|eir expecrarions
re_ardin_ r|e conrenr ol r|e lnal plan may nor |e
realised |ecause ol lare alrerarions driven |y or|er
interest groups within government, such as the
proposed Narional Dara Srrare_y ro |e raken lorward
through the Information Economy Strategy.
16
T|e c|allen_es in crearin_ and carryin_ inro ellecr a
narional acrion plan are evidenr. Governmenr needs
ro rake r|e rime ro en_a_e in aur|enric open policy
makin_, w|ile sarislyin_ demands ro carry iniriarives
inro ellecr. Buildin_ on exisrin_ acriviry may secure
delivery, |ur acrion plan commirmenrs are expecred
ro srrerc| previous norms, and as a consequence,
are perhaps less certain in outcome. Authentic
implemenrarion requires evidence ol widespread real
rime impacr ol r|e acrion plan a_enda, _oin_ |eyond
pockers ol _ood examples and a narrow ran_e ol
commirred srake|olders. T|e K experience relecrs
these pressures. In this early phase, it has risen to the
challenge in some areas while falling short in others.
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1
nlfed Klngdom, Frofecflon ol Freedoms Acf, 2012. |rrp://|ir.ly/1l7knCW
2
lbld.
3
lf onolysed fhe dofo on fhemes reloflng fo efhnlclfy, fypes ol employmenf, worklng hours, lnequollfy ond geogrophy, ond ldenflled some lnferesflng pofferns ond quesflons worfhy ol lurfher
conslderoflon. K Forllomenf Jusflce Commlffee. "Flrsf Reporf: FosfLeglsloflve Scruflny ol fhe Freedom ol lnlormoflon Acf 2000," 3 July 2012. |rrp://|ir.ly/oq1BE
4
Mlnlsfry ol Jusflce, "Governmenf Response fo fhe Jusflce Commlffee's Reporf: FosfLeglsloflve Scruflny ol fhe Freedom ol lnlormoflon Acf 2000," November 2012, |rrp://|ir.ly/1SolF|
5
Civil service reform plan: |rrp://|ir.ly/FAwTFS
6
House ol Commons Fubllc Admlnlsfroflon Selecf Commlffee, "Fubllc Engogemenf ln Follcymoklng," Second Reporf ol Sesslon 201314: |rrp://|ir.ly/1B2SrL
7
8
K Governmenf. lndusfrlol Sfrofegy: governmenf ond lndusfry ln porfnershlp. June 2012. |rrp://|ir.ly/ZiZ|F
9
taken from all meetings and interviews as well as from the open government partnership uk; uk Civil society perspectives on the national Action plan, |rrp://|ir.ly/J2r3Yr
10
lbld.
11
united kingdom, Consultation on the ogp national Action plan 2013 draft, |rrp://|ir.ly/18|SiaA
12
Civil service reform plan: |rrp://|ir.ly/FAwTFS
13
ogp civil society network focus group; Consultation on the ogp national Action plan 2013 draft, |rrp://|ir.ly/18|SiaA
14
Grohom Gordon. "Clvll Soclefy Forflclpoflon ln Drolflng fhe K Noflonol Acflon Flon Hos lf Been Worfh lf?" blog. 24 Aprll 2014. |rrp://|ir.ly/13urvsn
15
Cllclol 1, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, Moy 213, Fefer Lowrence, Depufy Dlrecfor, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, 15 Moy 2013, See olso llorlo Mlller, "Governmenf ond clvll
soclefy |olnf worklng on fhe K Acflon Flon: delnlfely worfh lf!" blog, Cpen Governmenf Forfnershlp, 1 Moy 2013, |rrp://|ir.ly/18q_DGr
16
Cllclol 1, Tronsporency Teom, Coblnef Cllce, lnfervlew, Moy 2013, Slmon Buroll, inVoLVe, lnfervlew, 1 Aprll 2013. See olso: Slmon Buroll, lNvCLvE, "Crlflcol Componenfs lor Engoglng
Civil society in the national Action plan, blog, open government partnership,
|rrp://|lo_.open_ovparrners|ip.or_/2013/0S/criricalcomponenrsloren_a_in_civilsocieryinr|enarionalacrionplan/, Gordon, "Hos lf Been Worfh lf?"
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ANNEX: METHCDCLCGY
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73
ANNEX: METHODOLOGY
The OGP Articles of Governance state:
As a complement to the participating governments
sellassessmenr, an independenr assessmenr reporr is
ro |e wrirren |y wellrespecred _overnance researc|ers,
prelera|ly lrom eac| GF parriciparin_ counrry. T|ese
experrs are ro use a common GF independenr reporr
quesrionnaire and _uidelines, |ased on a com|inarion
ol inrerviews wir| local GF srake|olders as well as
desk|ased analysis. T|is reporr is ro |e s|ared wir| a
small nrernarional Experr Fanel (appoinred |y r|e GF
Steering Committee) for peer review to ensure that the
|i_|esr srandards ol researc| and due dili_ence |ave
|een applied.
Analysis ol pro_ress on GF acrion plans is done
r|rou_| a com|inarion ol inrerviews, desk researc|,
and leed|ack lrom non_overnmenral srake|older
meerin_s. T|e FM reporr |uilds on r|e lndin_s ol
r|e _overnmenr's own sellassessmenr reporr and any
or|er assessmenrs ol pro_ress pur our |y civil sociery,
the private sector, or international organizations.
Eac| counrry researc|er carries our srake|older
meetings to ensure an accurate portrayal of events.
Given |ud_erary and calendar consrrainrs, r|e FM
cannor consulr all inreresred or allecred parries.
Consequenrly, r|e FM srrives lor mer|odolo_ical
rransparency, and r|erelore w|ere possi|le, makes
pu|lic r|e process ol srake|older en_a_emenr in
researc|. (T|is process is derailed larer in r|is secrion.)
n narional conrexrs w|ere anonymiry ol inlormanrs
_overnmenral or non_overnmenralis required, r|e
FM reserves r|e a|iliry ro prorecr r|e anonymiry ol
inlormanrs. Addirionally, |ecause ol r|e necessary
limirarions ol r|e mer|od, r|e FM srron_ly encoura_es
commenrary on pu|lic dralrs ol eac| narional documenr.
selectIOn Of nOnGOvernmental
InfOrmants
An exisrin_ GF civil sociery nerwork was selecred
on r|e |asis r|ar ir was already en_a_ed wir|
ollcials in r|e prepararion lor r|e nexr acrion plan,
r|us |ad demonsrra|le en_a_emenr wir| r|e GF
process. r also encompassed a reasona|le ran_e
ol inreresrs includin_ overseas developmenr, open
dara, democraric parriciparion, rransparency, and
anticorruption interests.
ndividuals were also selecred lor inrerviews on r|e
|asis ol parricular knowled_e and en_a_emenr in
elemenrs ol r|e K Narional Acrion Flan, includin_
representatives of the UK Information Commissioners
llce, r|e Campai_n lor Freedom ol nlormarion,
and civil sociery individuals w|o |ad volunreered
parricularly uselul insi_|rs and online conrri|urions.
attendees: 16 may 2013
fOcus GrOuP
Simon Burall, NvLvE, Tim Hu_|es, NvLvE, Tim
Davies, Fracrical Farriciparion, Alex Farrow, Briris|
Your| Council, Mic|elle Brook and Fac|el Davies,
Transparency nrernarional, nired Kin_dom,
Melissa Lawson, Tearlund, Beck Wallace, Car|olic Aid
A_ency lor En_land and Wales, C|ris Ta__arr,
Open Corporates.
synOPsIs Of meetInG
T|e locus _roup comprised mem|ers ol r|e GF civil
sociery nerwork w|o |ave mer re_ularly wir| eac|
or|er and also wir| key ollcials lrom r|e K Ca|iner
llce Transparency Team. T|e _roup is currenrly
locussed on r|e developmenr ol r|e new dralr GF
UK National Action Plan.
Mem|ers spoke posirively ol r|e open policymakin_
approac| adopred |y r|e _overnmenr ollcials wir|
w|om r|ey |ad worked closely. T|ey were also pleased
r|ar r|e scope ol r|e new plan exrends |eyond open
dara ro encompass r|e _rand c|allen_es ol "increasin_
corporare accounra|iliry" and "implemenrin_
r|e |i_|esr srandards ol prolessional inre_riry
r|rou_|our our adminisrrarions." T|e dralr includes
specilc commirmenrs lor w|ic| r|ey |ave pressed,
lor example, on narural resource rransparency, aid
rransparency, exrracrive indusrries, and more locus
on assisrin_ porenrial srake|olders ro en_a_e wir|
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irm
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new dara released. However, r|ey were concerned
|y r|e lack ol _overnmenr leed|ack on many ol r|e
proposals r|ey |ad advanced and r|e decision raken
|y _overnmenr ro place many ol r|ese proposals in
an annex ro r|e dralr plan. T|ey were crirical ol r|e
delay in makin_ r|e dralr plan availa|le lor pu|lic
consulrarion and concerned r|ar eir|er ir will lail ro |e
lnalised |y r|e expecred deadline or r|ar r|e process
ol lnalisarion will nor en_a_e r|em as "coproducers."
Fe_ardin_ r|e previous acrion plan process and
conrenr, r|ey were _enerally dismissive ol r|e process
and criricised r|e narrow narure ol r|e conrenr.
Mosr |eld r|ar r|e plan was creared ad |oc lrom
exisrin_ _overnmenr commirmenrs, alon_ wir| some
aspirarional o||ecrives, some ol w|ic| appeared nor ro
|e s|ared or rimera|led |y r|e relevanr deparrmenrs
in _overnmenr. Wir| some exceprions (overseas aid),
r|e locus appeared ro |e almosr enrirely on aspecrs
ol open dara, olren |i_|ly rec|nical, wir| w|ic| r|ey
lelr lirrle en_a_emenr. (Some mem|ers did |ave
knowled_e and en_a_emenr in r|is area and r|eir
views ar r|e meerin_ and su|sequenrly |ave |een
useful to this assessment.)
attendees: 16 17 may 2013
Sreve Wood, Head ol Folicy Delivery, nlormarion
Commissioner's llce
Maurice Frankel, Direcror, Campai_n lor Freedom ol
information
Kar|erine Gunderson, Campai_n lor Freedom ol
information
Tim Davies, Practical Participation
Alan Hudson, NE Campai_n
Andrew Clarke, Fu|lis| W|ar You Fund
synOPsIs Of dIscussIOns
T|ese individual discussions (in person or |y
relep|one) were inrended ro _ar|er more derail on
aspects of the UK action plan on which interviewees
may |ave a parricular insi_|r. For example, an
exrensive discussion was |eld wir| r|e |ead ol policy
delivery in r|e nlormarion Commissioner's llce
on elemenrs ol r|e ri_|rrodara commirmenrs,
parricularly re_ardin_ porenrial c|an_es ro srarures,
codes ol pracrice, or luncrions ol r|e nlormarion
Commissioner. Discussion also included r|e role ol
the commissioner in relationship to the transparency
|oards and sale_uardin_ privacy.
Similarly , Campai_n lor Freedom ol nlormarion
representatives gave their views on the right-to-
dara elemenrs, as well as providin_ a view on r|e
consultative process.
Discussions wir| r|e or|ers provided derails on
pro|lems ol urilisin_ dara r|ar |ad |een produced and
views on r|e aid and developmenr commirmenrs.
abOut the IndePendent
rePOrtInG mechanIsm
T|e GF FM is a key means |y w|ic| _overnmenr,
civil sociery, and r|e privare secror can rrack
_overnmenr developmenr and implemenrarion ol
GF acrion plans on a |iannual |asis. T|e desi_n ol
researc| and qualiry conrrol ol suc| reporrs is carried
our |y r|e nrernarional Experrs' Fanel, comprised ol
experrs in rransparency, parriciparion, accounra|iliry,
and social science researc| mer|ods.
T|e currenr mem|ers|ip ol r|e nrernarional Experrs'
Panel is:
Yamini Ayar
De||ie Budlender
Jonar|an Fox
Rosemary McGee
Gerardo Munck
A small FM srall |ased in Was|in_ron, DC s|ep|erds
reporrs r|rou_| r|e FM process in close coordinarion
wir| r|e researc|er. uesrions and commenrs a|our
r|is reporr can |e direcred ro r|e srall ar
irm@opengovpartnership.org.
1
Full research guidance can be found at |rrp://|ir.ly/120SFu
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2nd Floor
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