Government Data Sharing

Cabinet Minister Francis Maude has recently unveiled his initiative to increase the ability for Government departments to share public data.

The plans, if passed, will make it easier for government and public sector organisations to share confidential public information. The plans will also make it possible to license the sharing of data where it is currently prohibited, subject to privacy safe guards.

According to the ICO, data sharing is currently seen as the disclosure of data from one or more organisations to a third party organisation or organisations, or the sharing of data between different parts of a single organisation, which can take many forms.

The initiative proposes to put in place  fixed guidelines which look set to aide good practice – enabling organisations to collect and share personal data in a way that is fair, transparent and in-line with the expectations of those whose information they are sharing.

Data sharing has been discussed in detail since 2007, with Tony Blair proposing amendments to the Data Protection Act to allow greater data sharing between departments within the government – but this was met by opposition from those who stated that this would affect data privacy.

Government departments, if they choose to data share, need to have a secure and reliable system in place with which to store sensitive information. Through removing the manual files and replacing the process with a secure, electronic system data protection is adhered to, and only those who are privy to reviewing certain information have access to it securely. This reduces the likelihood of sensitive information being lost, stolen or falling into the hands of those who should not have access to it.

We would be naive to believe that data sharing currently does not exist – what should be concerning is the way in which this sharing may occur. With many files being paper, surely the manual processes associated with sharing the information should be cause for alarm?

Housing Associations open spending data

Housing Minister, Grant Shapps seems to be making progress with his campaign to push for Housing Associations to make spending data public knowledge – with at least two housing associations, Hertfordshire Housing and Viridian Housing agreeing to open up spending data from next month.

Hertfordshire Housing and Viridian Housing are responsible for around 5,300 and 16,000 properties respectively, with the associations expected to publish the details of all spending which is above £500, and of any salaries which are over £50,000.

The call for greater visibility of spending data follows pressure to expose how public monies are being spent – organisations which receive money from the tax payer should now expect to come under greater scrutiny and be willing to explain financial decisions openly and honestly.

The ability to be able to share this data however will require housing associations to have in place a system which will ensure that all monies spent are being accounted for and accessible – with information being able to be readily accessed.

Although not public bodies, the housing sector in particular takes in money from taxpayers – the majority of which is invested in social housing, with this in mind surely it is only reasonable to share how this investment is being spent? Other public sector areas should beware, with the growing trend of openness and honesty with public spending it is only a matter of time before they too will have to review the systems which they have in place.