Public Data Corporation

Norman Lamb Excerpts

Monday 19th March 2012 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Norman Lamb)]

I would like to inform the House that the Government are today publishing their response to the Consultation on Data Policy for a Public Data Corporation. Alongside the response the Government are publishing detailed terms of reference for the Data Strategy Board and the Public Data Group, which the autumn statement announced Government would be establishing. Copies of these documents will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

The Data Strategy Board will seek to maximise the value of data from the Public Data Group of Trading Funds for long-term economic and social benefit, including through the release of data free of charge. The Public Data Group will comprise Companies House, HM Land Registry, Met Office and Ordnance Survey.

The Government are also announcing as part of this package the creation of an Open Data User Group which will advise the Data Strategy Board on public sector data that should be prioritised for release as open data, and will provide a forum for engaging a broad range of users and re-users of open data.

The Public Data Group will seek to support growth in the UK economy by delivering efficiencies and improvements in public services through its members.