The Government has launched two consultations focused on
improving public sector openness, transparency and accountability
through improved access to public data.
The first of those consultations, "Making
Open Data Real" sets out a series of proposals
aimed at establishing a culture of openness and transparency in
public services, including a 'right to data' and how public
sector providers might be held to account for delivering Open Data.
The Government has said, however, that transparency will not be
extended at the cost of privacy. Views are sought in a number of
areas including how to improve access to data, transparency
standards, accountability, and the collection, publication and use
of Open Data. The consultation has been welcomed by the Information
Commissioner, Christopher Graham, who commented that "the
information rights regime needs to adapt to the new realities of
the digital world". The ICO has recently highlighted its
intention to contribute to such
