CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION SHARING

David Rhind

Chairman, Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information

My routemap

• Why PSI and sharing it is important

• The EU framework of rules

• UK government policy and embryonic policies

• Role of OPSI and APPSI

• The big issue – public trust

WHY PSI AND SHARING IT IS IMPORTANT

We are living in an ‘online information society’

“Public information does not belong to Government, it belongs to the public on whose behalf government is conducted.”

Speech by The Prime Minister on Liberty, October 2007

Public Sector Information

• Largest single source of information in Europe

• Basis of 15-25% of all data used in e-commerce trading and information products

• US information industry = 5 x EU industry although economies same size

• Economic value of US PSI €750 billion cf. EU €68 billion [PIRA 2000]

• Market size in EU – average of €27 billion [MEPSIR 2005]

• UK potential value > £1 billion [OFT 2006]

We underestimate just how valuable this asset is..

• Information the lifeblood of today’s society and today’s government

• Cap Gemini report March 2008 – information the last unexploited asset: £46 billion opportunity (private sector) and £21billion (public)

• Need similar infrastructure to management of other key assets (e.g. HR – Human assets, Finance – financial assets)

• Like other assets, managing this asset poorly is highly risky – and huge risks of under-exploiting

• Puts information at the centre of our work, not on the edge

What is meant by re-use of information?

• Reproduction of information in a way that was not originally intended when created

• Includes copying, adapting, developing, adding value, broadcasting, downloading

Our flagship website SchoolGuruHertfordshire helps parents looking for schools in Hertfordshire. It's completely free to use.

Economic growth of

information industry

Social and economic benefits to

the tax payer

Improving public service

delivery

Citizen awareness of

their rights

Streamlining the right to re-

use PSI

Why is the re-use of public sector information so important?

Benefits of PSI Re-usePSI re-use is essential to supporting the type of cumulative innovation required in a knowledge economy

Planning

Meteorological

Medical

Security

Environmental

Geographical

London Police Crime Maps

emergency services

http://www.gmjlondonfutures.com/

Geospatial One Stop

THE EU FRAMEWORK OF RULES

The Re-use Directive

• EU Directive on the Re-use of Public Sector Information 2003

• http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003L0098:EN:HTML

• Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations S.I. 2005 No. 1515

• http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051515.htm

INSPIRE components

• Metadata• Network

Services• Data

Specifications• Data and

Service Sharing

• Monitoring and Reporting

Annex IIIStatistical unitsBuildingsSoilLand useHuman health and safetyUtility and governmental servicesEnvironmental monitoring facilitiesProduction and industrial facilitiesAgricultural and aquaculture facilitiesPopulation distribution – demographyArea management/restriction/regulation zones & reporting unitsNatural risk zonesAtmospheric conditionsMeteorological geographical featuresOceanographic geographical featuresSea regionsBio-geographical regionsHabitats and biotopesSpecies distributionEnergy ResourcesMineral resources

Annex ICoordinate reference systemsGeographical grid systemsGeographical namesAdministrative unitsAddressesCadastral parcelsTransport networksHydrographyProtected sites

Annex IIElevationLand coverOrtho-imageryGeology

UK GOVERNMENT POLICY, EMBRYONIC POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Transformational Government

• UK Government is one of largest primary information producers in the world

• Designing and delivering public services around the needs of the citizen

• Strong e-Government agenda

• Providing access to information and delivering services online

• Technology is a transformer of the business of the government

Worked example: the Population Census

• 2011 Census will cost around £480m – huge exercise

• Data available from in in 2012/14 - not replaced until 10 years later

• Used to allocate over £140bn annually

In Scandinavia:

• much population data drawn from administrative registers

• Available at any time

• Accurate because administration e.g. social security payments depends on it

• V low costs once data bases created & maintained

• Could this occur in UK? Needs much data sharing if not to start from scratch. Cultural antipathy?

A knowledge and information strategy for Government

“In the 21st century, information is the force powering our democracy and our economy. Both the private and the public sector increasingly rely on information and knowledge, and create value through their ability to manage these valuable assets.”

Sir Gus O’Donnell

Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service

October 2008

Power of Information Task Force report

Don’t forget to tell them about Show Us A Better Way!

Background

• Personal information is individual & precious to each one of us – it’s vital that we treat it properly.

• There is a long-standing and healthy debate about the balance between the right to privacy and the necessity to hold and share data.

• Review announced by PM on 25/10/2007 during his speech on Liberty. High profile data losses thereafter made DSR even more relevant.

The process

• Consultation exercise between December and February 2008 – over 200 responses.

• Some 60 meetings covering public, private and third sector – across UK and in Europe.

• 8 workshop discussion sessions.

• Extensive desk research.

Common issues highlighted

• Benefits of sharing (law enforcement/public protection; provision of services; research).

• Risks of sharing; need for minimisation, proportionality and safeguards.

• General confusion/uncertainty about the law, including the complex interplay between different strands of the law.

• A lack of public trust in data handling.• A lack of transparency in what is done with personal data.• Inadequate regulatory powers, sanctions and resources.• Lack of clear accountability in a complex shared data

environment.• Subject access process out-of-date in the internet era.

Recommendations (1)

• Transform personal and organisational culture: clarify corporate governance; maximise transparency; improve training; and consider credentials.

• Clarify and streamline legal framework: urge HMG to lead EU debate on reform; authoritative guidance through statutory CoP; and a new statutory fast-track procedure where there is a strong case for removal of a legal barrier.

• Ensure effective enforcement: implement fine provisions quickly; provide new powers to inspect & audit; ensure adequate resources; and revise structure.

Recommendations (2)

• Develop mechanisms for safe and secure research and statistical analysis: develop ‘safe havens’ as environment for population-based research; create system for accrediting approved researchers; and call on HMG and NHS to maximise potential benefits made possible through safe havens.

• Safeguard and protect publicly available (online) information: call for new enquiry into online services that aggregate personal information; and ban the sale of the edited electoral register.

WHAT DID BUDGET 2009 SAY?

ROLE OF OPSI AND APPSI

Roles of the Office for Public Sector Information

APPSI advises Ministers and the Director of OPSI about…

How to encourage and create opportunities in the information industryCarol Tullo

OPSI Director

How the licensing of Crown Copyright and public sector information can be aligned with current and emergingdevelopments

Michael Wills MPMinister of State for Justice

APPSI also reviews and considers complaints under the Re-use of Public Sector Regulations 2005

(1)

(2)

(3)

THE BIG ISSUE – PUBLIC TRUST

With information management becoming a growing focus of media and public concern…

Risks to individuals• Poor recordkeeping

practices

• Risk of disclosure of personal information

• Information not disclosed when needed

Types of risks – some examples

Security risks• Implications of

fraud and hacking

• Risk of losing official intelligence

• Decisions made without understanding whole context

Types of risks – some examples

Financial risks

• Cost of having to put errors right

• Cost of recovering information

• Cost of litigation

Reputational risks

• Japanese Government - pension information loss

• Data protection breaches

• Loss of public confidence and trust

The data handling review

• Provides definition of sensitive data that has to be protected

• Sets out a series of mandatory requirements for protecting personal data

• Establishes the concept that information is an asset which should be treated as money is

• Introduces the concept of ‘information asset owners’

• Imposes strict audit and reporting regime

What we all need to do

• Make knowledge & information as much a part of our culture and procedures as HR, Finance or H&S. We need to ensure that every new joiner understands what they need to do, and what they need to keep, share or protect. Information is a core asset and we need to treat it as such

• Understand the risks that apply to our organisation, and manage them as mainstream, business risks – just as we would all other business risks, and make this part of our process

• Developing the right capability to support their management – making sure your organisation has the right skills set, knowledge and expertise to support this

• Build the management of knowledge & information into governance and accountability structures. Make managing them ‘part of the day job’ and something which is visible to the Board and senior managers

• Exploit opportunities to collaborate and work with other organisations, sharing and learning from each others’ successes and failures

Overall conclusions

• Importance of re-using existing public sector information now totally accepted

• UK (and other) government(s) not short of policies, strategies, initiatives to foster re-use

• Breaking down cultural and financial barriers to access and re-use still a major problem

• New technologies make some alternatives technically easy e.g. Web 2.0 underpins voluntary creation of information by citizens

• Data sharing has huge advantages for citizens – reduced costs, less bureaucracy, better topicality, etc – BUT public trust is big issue

Some key sources of information

• http://www.opsi.gov.uk• http://www.appsi.gov.uk• http://poit.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/poit/ • http://www.justice.gov.uk/reviews/docs/data-

sharing-review-report.pdf • http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/65948/

dhr080625.pdf

Yes we can!

(exploit PSI)