UK: Free access to post codes?
Source: Parliament, UK
UK Government: MP’s consider a range of public sector information topics
London: 12 July 2010
Public Sector Information has been one of the subjects that Members of the UK Parliament have recently considered and to probe the public sector information policy of the new UK Coalition Government.
The topics considered include amongst others:
- Post Codes
- Copyright
- Ordnance Survey
- Met Office
Parliamentary material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO on behalf of Parliament
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Post Codes: Databases
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what cost-benefit analysis his Department has undertaken in respect of providing free public access to the Post Code Address File. [7783]
Mr Davey: None. The PAF is owned and maintained by Royal Mail who are responsible for the costs involved in maintaining the data. Royal Mail is a business operating at arm's length from Government and competing with private sector postal operators. It is therefore appropriate for Royal Mail to be compensated for the use of the PAF data by third parties.”
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UK Members of Parliament have also raised questions on Copyright:
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Copyright
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to bring forward legislation to provide for (a) an orphan works exception, (b) a format shifting exception and (c) extended collective licensing. [5090]
Mr Davey: The Government are considering, but have not yet reached a view, on what further work is needed on copyright, and the form such work would take.
Copyright Tribunal
Mr Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Second Special Report of the Science and Technology Committee, Session 2007-08, HC 637, when he plans to complete the proposed reforms to the Copyright Tribunal. [6404]
Mr Davey: The Government note the significant changes which have been made to the Copyright Tribunal since the Select Committee report was published. These include the introduction of new rules of procedure; the appointment of lay members with commercial experience; and a new secretariat. The Government hope that these changes, which were welcomed by users, will make the tribunal a more accessible, cheaper and faster forum in which to resolve disputes.”
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London: 9 July 2010
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Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the Met Office; and if he will make a statement. [1057]
Mr Robathan: Defence activity is being reviewed in the context of the strategic defence and security review and the spending review. It would be premature to speculate about any impact on the Met Office at this stage.”
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London: 8 July 2010
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Met Office: Private Sector
Mr Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he (a) has had and (b) plans to have discussions with representatives of private sector businesses on the future of the Met Office. [6571]
Mr Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence has not met and has no current plans to meet representatives from the private weather sector to discuss the future of the Met Office.”
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London: 7 July 2010
“Ordnance Survey (Performance Targets)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Robert Neill): My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hanham CBE, has made the following written ministerial statement:
- Ordnance Survey will report externally against a set of agency performance monitors as required of all Executive agencies in Government:
- To achieve an operating profit before exceptional items, interest and dividends of £11.8 million for the financial year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.
- Some 99.6% of significant real-world features greater than six months old are represented in the database.
- To achieve a free cash flow before exceptional items of £19.6 million for the financial year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.
- To continue to reduce the underlying cost base of the business by on average 5% per annum measured against a baseline of 2008-09 costs.
- To achieve a customer index score of at least 80%.
- These targets reflect Ordnance Survey's continuing commitment to customers, to implementing the business strategy announced in April 2009, to maintaining and delivering intelligent geographic information to all users, and to offering improved value for money for all, as well as a commitment to Government policies.
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London: 1 July 2010
“Met Office Review Group
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects the Met Office Review Group to meet; and whether the remit of that Group has changed since his appointment. [4917]
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Mr Robathan: The Met Office Review Group is not due to meet in the near future; however work continues on the implementation of the review's 2009 recommendations.
The remit of the group has not changed since my appointment.”
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London: 15 June 2010
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Government Departments: Publications
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish under his Department's Open Data Initiative the title of each post in each (a) Department, (b) non-departmental public body and (c) agency that remains unfilled as a result of the freeze on public sector recruitment. [1933]
Mr Maude: We expect Departments to restructure to handle the roles left vacant by the recruitment freeze. Organograms will be published online for every Department which will reflect these changes. Overall savings from the freeze are estimated at £120 million.
Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans to publish the job titles and descriptions of civil servants in his Department under the Open Data Initiative. [1935]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office has published organisation charts and staff lists for the Cabinet Office, including No. 10, which provide names of senior civil servants, their job titles and contact details. These data will be updated later in the year to include the job titles of other civil servants in the Department. The organisation charts can be found at:
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about-cabinet-office/cabinet-office-structure.aspx
and the data have been released through
A copy of this information will also be placed in the Library.”
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London: 9 June 2010
“Ordnance Survey
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future ownership of Ordnance Survey. [995]
Robert Neill: Ordnance Survey is Great Britain's national mapping agency and its data underpin the delivery of many vital public services. I am not considering changes to the ownership of Ordnance Survey.
9 Jun 2010 : Column 175W”