Welcome to The National Archives' public sector information updates page. It is designed to support the needs of re-users of public sector information. Bookmark this page, or subscribe to the feed, for news on developments in public sector information within the UK, Europe and beyond, including:
- announcements of forthcoming IFTS verifications and re-verifications
- summaries of completed IFTS reports and complaints investigations
- notice of surveys and consultations
- news on reports and articles of interest
We hope this will be of use and would welcome feedback on the features and news presented here. Email us as standards@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
Find out how to use RSS feeds.
OPSI statement on The Coal Authority
15 May 2013
The Office of Public Sector Information, part of The National Archives, has issued a statement regarding its recent work with The Coal Authority. The statement can be found on the Reports and Publications page of The National Archives' website.
Registers of Scotland re-accredited to IFTS
10 May 2013
Registers of Scotland has been re-accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the re-verification of RoS against the IFTS principles has been published and can be found on our IFTS Members page.
EU publishes consolidated text of the draft Directive revising the PSI Directive
26 April 2013
The proposal to amend the Directive on the Re-use of Public Sector Information has been published on the Europa website. This publication is of the consolidated text of the draft Directive considered by the Committee of Permanent Representatives in April. The Directive is scheduled for a European Parliamentary Plenary vote in June, after which it will pass to the Council of the European Union before it is adopted.
UK Hydrographic Office publishes statement of public task
25 April 2013
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has published a statement of its public task. The statement sits under the 'Role & Purpose' tab of the About Us page of UKHO's website. The statement will be examined during the next re-verification of UKHO under the Information Fair Trader Scheme.
TNA Information Management web pages survey
17 April 2013
The Web Team at The National Archives has been working to improve the experience of using the Information management pages of The National Archives' website. The team has devised an online survey to test the website structure, and would welcome input from current users of the website, including information re-users, licensees, and anybody who has had cause to use the complaints processes under the Re-use Regulations or the Information Fair Trader Scheme.
This is a short interactive survey about proposed changes to the Information management section of The National Archives' website. These changes are to the structure and section labels to make the website content easier to find. We would appreciate you taking ten minutes or so to complete this survey and tell us what you think. The survey is anonymous, and your feedback will improve how our website is organised. If you would like to take part, please email the Standards team, and we will send you a link to the survey.
The survey closes on Wednesday 1 May 2013.
Land and Property Services, Northern Ireland re-accredited to IFTS
11 April 2013
Land and Property Services (LPS), Northern Ireland has been re-accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the re-verification of LPS against the IFTS principles has been published and can be found on our IFTS Members page.
The Coal Authority re-accredited to IFTS
26 March 2013
The Coal Authority has been re-accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the re-verification of The Coal Authority against the IFTS principles has been published and can be found on our IFTS Members page.
The National Archives re-accredited to IFTS
15 March 2013
The National Archives has been re-accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the re-verification of The National Archives against the IFTS principles has been published and can be found on our IFTS Members page.
Falkirk Council and Mr Dan Henderson Complaint Report Published
04 March 2013
The Office of Public Sector Information, part of The National Archives, has published a report on its investigation of a complaint under the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 against Falkirk Council by Mr Dan Henderson.
Administrative Data Taskforce publishes report
02 January 2013
The Administrative Data Taskforce (ADT), formed in December 2011 by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, has been working with government departments, academics, funding agencies and representatives from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to examine the best procedures and mechanisms to make administrative data available for research safely. The report from the ADT, Improving Access for Research and Policy, has now been published.
The report proposes a UK Administrative Data Research Network to be responsible for linking data between government departments.
New standard licence developed
26 November 2012
The National Archives has published the beta version of a new standard licence for comment. The new licence, which has the working title 'Charged Licence', has been developed for use by public sector bodies which have reason to charge for the re-use of the information they produce or hold. The licence will form part of the UK Government Licensing Framework.
This new licence, along with the Open Government Licence and the Non-Commercial Government Licence, will be a 'specified licence' provided for in amendments to the Freedom of Information Act made by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. The publication of the new licence links in with the Cabinet Office's consultation on a new Code of Practice under section 45 of the Freedom of Information Act, which has also just been launched. The Code of Practice provides guidance to public bodies in meeting their new obligations to make certain datasets available under a specified licence.
The National Archives is seeking views on the new licence, and in particular we would welcome your views on the following:
- Do these simplified terms and conditions meet your needs, either as a licensor or a re-user?
- The working title for the licence is the 'Charged Licence'. Is there an alternative title you would like us to consider that better describes its purpose?
Our aim is to provide a straightforward set of terms which deliver an effective standard approach that works. Let us know if we achieve this aim, by providing your feedback. We welcome comments on the beta Charged Licence by 10 January 2013, to coincide with the end of the Cabinet Office consultation period. However, any feedback received after that date will help to inform our ongoing review of the licences which form part of the UK Government Licensing Framework.
NOMS Just Solutions international to join IFTS
08 November 2012
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has been running a pilot exercise, as a member of the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS), to test the commercial provision of NOMS Intellectual Property, Products and Services (including Training) material. The pilot exercise closed on 31 October 2012.
NOMS has decided to continue the provision of these services through a new trading arm, a social enterprise limited company to be known as Just Solutions international. JSi will commence operations in April 2013, but exists in shadow form now, and in this form has passed The National Archives' exceptions to marginal cost pricing criteria. This allows JSi to trade in Crown copyright information it holds, and NOMS-JSi will continue as a member of IFTS. An IFTS re-verification of NOMS-JSi will take place in 2013.
Land Registry re-accredited to IFTS
08 October 2012
Land Registry has been re-accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the re-verification of Land Registry against the IFTS principles has been published and can be found on our IFTS Members page.
Marking the centenary of statutory Crown copyright
06 July 2012
The National Archives is marking the centenary of the Copyright Act 1911 coming into force, publishing resources including a timeline of key events, and a blog post.
Ordnance Survey publishes statement of public task
05 July 2012
Ordnance Survey has published a statement of its public task under the Re-use Regulations. Ordnance Survey notes that it will review the published statement in detail following the European Commission's present work to amend the Directive on the Re-use of Public Sector Information and following the establishment of the Data Strategy Board.
Companies House publishes statement of public task
25 June 2012
Companies House has published a statement of its public task under the Re-use Regulations. Companies House is due for re-verification under the Information Fair Trader Scheme in Autumn 2012, and IFTS members are now required to publish statements of their public task. This statement will be formally assessed as part of the re-verification.
PinPoint Information Limited-Coal Authority progress report published
19 June 2012
Last October, the Office of Public Sector Information, part of The National Archives, published a complaint report under the PSI Regulations and the Information Fair Trader Scheme concerning PinPoint Information Limited and The Coal Authority. OPSI has now published a progress report demonstrating progress made by the Authority against the recommendations and suggestions for improvement in that report. Some aspects of the report will remain under review.
Metropolitan Police Service to join IFTS
19 June 2012
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is to join the Information Fair Trader Scheme, having completed the process to justify exception to marginal cost pricing for Crown copyright materials produced by Metropolitan Police officers. MPS already licenses non-Crown copyright material produced by MPS staff, and has now received a delegation of authority to license Crown copyright training course materials, still and moving images, databases and works created in the course of professional, specialist, technical, administrative and consultancy services. MPS will be applying to join as an online IFTS member.
National Offender Management Service (NOMS) accredited to IFTS
08 June 2012
NOMS has been accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the verification of NOMS against the IFTS principles has been published and is on our IFTS Members page.
ELGIN national roadworks portal to apply for IFTS assessment
01 May 2012
ELGIN, the custodians of the national roadworks portal, has announced its intention to apply for assessment under the Information Fair Trader Scheme. The National Archives' news item on this announcement can be found on its website.
Re-verification of The National Archives
01 May 2012
The Standards team and colleagues from the Office of Fair Trading will be conducting an Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS) verification of The National Archives from 15-17 May.
Read the principles that IFTS is based on. If current or potential re-users of The National Archives' information have any points they wish to flag in confidence prior to the assessment they are encouraged to contact the team at standards@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Anonymous feedback will be passed to The National Archives' licensing team as part of the verification to help raise standards and improve practice.
e-Government Strategy for Ireland published
16 April 2012
The Irish Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has published an e-Government Strategy for Ireland 2012-2015. It includes a chapter on ensuring that public service data is made available for re-use, which lists specific actions that Irish public sector bodies will be expected to take.
Scrutiny Committee clears Explanatory Memorandum on PSI Directive amendments
22 March 2012
The House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee has cleared the Explanatory Memorandum on the European Commission's proposal to amend the Directive on the Re-use of Public Sector Information. The cleared memorandum text along with the Committee's comments on it are now available online as part of the Committee's 57th Report.
The Committee has requested a further update from the Government when the negotiations near completion.
Open Data User Group terms of reference
19 March 2012
Cabinet Office has set up an Open Data User Group to give data users and re-users an opportunity to influence the release of Government data. Its terms of reference are now available from the Cabinet Office website.
Data Strategy Board and Public Data Group terms of reference
19 March 2012
The Government has today published the terms of reference for the Data Strategy Board and the Public Data Group, which were announced in the Autumn Statement 2011. The Government has also published its response to 'A Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation'.
The response to the consultation and terms of reference can be found on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website.
DVLA re-accredited to IFTS
14 March 2012
DVLA has been re-accredited to the Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS). The report on the re-verification of DVLA against the IFTS principles has been published and can be found on our IFTS Members page.
Think tank Policy Exchange's report on A Right to Data
06 March 2012
The Think Tank Policy Exchange has published a report note by Chris Yiu entitled 'A Right to Data: fulfilling the promise of open public data in the UK'. The report includes three recommendations: to enshrine the right to public data in legislation; that responsibility for open data should rest at Board level in public sector bodies; and that every public sector body should define its public task and associated data requirements.
Re-verification of Land and Property Services
05 March 2012
The Standards team will be conducting an Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS) verification of Land and Property Services, Northern Ireland, from 12-13 March. Read the principles IFTS is based on. If re-users, current or potential, of Land and Property Services information have any points they wish to flag in confidence prior to the assessment they are encouraged to contact the team at standards@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Anonymous feedback will be passed to Land and Property Services as part of the verification to help raise standards and improve practice.
Land Registry - Release of Data and IFTS Verification
01 February 2012
Land Registry has published details on its website of Transaction Data that has been made available to be re-used under the Open Government Licence (OGL) from 30 January. The website also gives information about Land Registry Price Paid Data planned to be made available under the OGL in March 2012.
The Standards team will be conducting an Information Fair Trader Scheme (IFTS) verification of Land Registry on 27-29 February 2012. Read the principles IFTS is based on. If re-users, current or potential, of Land Registry information have any points they wish to flag in confidence, prior to the assessment, they are encouraged to contact the team at standards@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Anonymous feedback will be passed to Land Registry as part of the verification to help raise standards and improve practice.
Farrer and Co briefing on Open Data initiatives
27 January 2012
Peter Wienand of Farrer and Co, deputy chair of the Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information, has posted a useful briefing on current UK and European Commission Open Data initiatives.
