Articles

The practice of allowing ministers and officials to see government statistics before publication presents “ a risk to public confidence in the independence of the statistical system” and government should “bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity” to put tighter controls on pre-release access, according to a select committee report published today.

More than half of civil servants struggle to access data from other parts of the public sector, a CSW poll carried out with data management firm Listpoint has revealed.

CSW recently brought a group of civil servants together to discuss the use of citizen data in reducing Fraud, Error and Debt (FED). Tim Gibson reports on the debate.

Less than a tenth of civil servants questioned by CSW believe the current model of financing trading funds is the best way to realise the coalition’s open data goals.

Professor Nigel Shadbolt

UK Open Data Adviser; Chairman and Co-Founder of the Open Data Institute

Andrew Dilnot, chair of the UK Statistics Authority, told the Public Administration Select Committee last week that he has written “six or seven” letters to departments complaining about the distortion of official statistics.

The Department for Education (DfE) should not make the National Pupil Database (NPD) available to the public, according to the Open Data Institute – a publicly-funded organisation dedicated to helping departments publish information and the private sector benefit from public data.

The government’s new Open Data Institute launched yesterday with an additional $750,000 (£466,000) investment from philanthropic body the Omidyar Network, run by the founder of eBay.

The Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) admitted last month that the personal data of its members was stolen more than two years ago.

The Open Data Institute, set to launch next month, aims to turn digital information into economic growth. Matt Ross meets its chief Gavin Starks, who sees data as the raw material for an important new British primary industry

In a bid to improve the operation of the NHS, the Department of Health is publishing reams of medical performance data and anonymised patient information. Tim Fish reports on a trailblazer in the government’s open data agenda.

The UK’s postcode address database should be released for free use by private companies, the chief executive of the new Open Data Institute (ODI) has told CSW.

Officials should publish more freely; the media more carefully

Vast quantities of information are generated each second, but how can policymakers exploit ‘big data’ to inform their decisions? Ben Willis watched as experts from the worlds of academia, IT and policy tried to make sense of it all

The government will legislate so that departments can share information on people who owe debt to public bodies, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude announced on Monday. However, he also told CSW that he couldn’t guarantee that the legislation will be passed in this Parliament.

Now more than ever, the census is vital in ensuring public services and funds are properly allocated, argues Simon Dennis

As the Parliament’s halfway point looms, Tim Fish and Ben Willis examine the Cabinet Office’s progress against the tasks it was set in May 2010 as part of the Coalition’s Programme for Government.

Central government has shown the smallest increase in self-reported data breaches compared to other parts of the public and private sector, according to figures obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) by data security firm Imation Corp.

The four members of the Public Data Group (PDG) are working together to develop new commercial, revenue-generating data services, Land Registry chief executive Malcolm Dawson has told CSW. The move will help Land Registry to generate an income from some of its data, funding the publication of other datasets without charge.

Central government has shown the smallest increase in self-reported data breaches compared to other parts of the public and private sector, according to figures obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) by data security firm Imation Corp.

Since last year, the PM and DPM have been noisily pushing for the rapid implementation of coalition policies. Matt Ross meets Will Cavendish, whose job it is to chivvy departments into delivering on the government’s promises

The Department of Health’s new information strategy sets out plans to standardise data collection in NHS bodies, and to share and use it more effectively. Colin Marrs examines a trailblazer for the open data agenda