Supporting the Re-use of PSI in the UK John Williams Standards Manager

What is meant by re-use of information? reproduction of information in a way that was not originally intended when created includes publishing, copying, adapting, developing, adding value, broadcasting, downloading ….

Obstacles to re-use knowing what is available lack of established procedures lack of transparency of terms lack of charging information exclusive licensing delays inconsistency unfairness

How are we helping to tackle some of these obstacles? Information Asset Registers PSI Click-Use Licence Information Fair Trader Scheme Dealing with complaints Initiatives to increase re-usability

Information Asset Registers Based on the requirement to provide a searchable list of main documents available for re-use Should be complementary to publication schemes required by FOI legislation

Focus on unpublished information Will often feature datasets and databases Working towards a “one list” approach

inforoute OPSI co-ordinates access to the Government’s IAR Searchable via inforoute Using common metadata standards Detailed guidance on appropriate fields

Benefits of using the PSI Click-Use Licence For the public sector: no need to develop own licence tried and trusted licence model no ongoing administration add new items whenever they become available no cost For the re-user: one stop shop tried and trusted licence model no need to negotiate individual licence with many public sector organisations fast

PSI Click-Use process Public Sector organisations need to: identify the copyright documents or categories of documents that can be used sign a simple mandate form publish a list of the documents on their website with a link to the OPSI website

Information Fair Trader Scheme Five principles: openness – maximising the available information transparency – simple and clear policies and procedures fairness – all are treated equally compliance – internal procedures and review processes challenge – complaints policy

Two routes: Full IFTS Accreditation full onsite verification of information traders IFTS Online Assessment flexible online assessment process

IFTS – the benefits objective and expert assessment use of IFTS logo underlines your compliance with the PSI Regulations by raising your standards you could reduce complaints

What happens if things go wrong? Complain to the public sector body in the first instance OSPI can take complaints under the PSI Regulations and/or IFTS: procedure.htm

What’s available? Can I re-use it? Is the information in a re-useable form? Obstacles looked at in another way…

Published on the web Information Asset Registers Policy in placePolicy initiatives under active consideration or development Is the information in a re-useable form? Improved access to unrefined data (Office of Fair Trading recommendation) Publicly available research space for PSI (UoS/OPSI) – the “semantic web”, making use of URIs when publishing legislation Re-users “format” request website (Power of Information) Can I re-use it? Waiver of copyright on UK government websites Click-Use licensing Free non-commercial re-use licences (Power of Information) OpenSpace (Ordnance Survey) Click-Use web services What’s available? Government Information published on the web Information Asset Registers

Realising wider economic and social value of public sector information Enabling public services reform Internal re-use