Free our data
Following on from the NAO report on the Dr Foster Intelligence contract, I have another criticism to make.
Is it right for the public sector to squirrel away for internal use only the data collected with our monies? How can they justify making the information available to a limited number of commercial entities to profit from? Why should it not be available to all, for free?
Google mash-up’s are a case in point. The data has long been available to commercial users but it took the arrival of Google Maps & the map API to unleash a flowering of creative energy & hundreds of innovative applications for the maps when overlaid with other information.
I have long been a supporter of the Free our Data initiative & am working on a public health application utilising healthcare statistics & OS mapping / post-code data. The software is derived from work done by My Society & is intended to be free. But I have to pay Dr Foster Intelligence for use of the DoH data & the Ordnance Survey for the maps in addition to the Royal Mail for the post-code database. All this while Dr Foster’s are my competitors & get this information for free.
The Office of Fair Trading took a look at this a while ago & had this to say:
“Public sector information holders (PSIHs) are usually the only source for much of this raw data, and although some make this available to businesses for free, others charge. A number of PSIHs also compete with businesses in turning the raw information into value-added products and services. This means PSIHs may have reason to restrict access to information provided solely by themselves.
The study found that raw information is not as easily available as it should be, licensing arrangements are restrictive, prices are not always linked to costs and PSIHs may be charging higher prices to competing businesses and giving them less attractive terms than their own value-added operations.
The report has also found that much of the legislation and guidance which aims to ensure access to information is provided on an equal basis, lacks clarity and is inadequately monitored. As a result the full benefits of public sector information are not being realised.”