To support public bodies in getting the most out of information, the Government Digital Service is currently working on issues of data quality and guidance on security, trust and compliance

A trial exercise to support the sharing of information across the public sector has identified 200 data sets held by government departments that are set to be opened up for wide-scale reuse.

A key manifesto pledge of the Labour government was the creation of a National Data Library, which is intended to “responsibly, securely and ethically unlock the value of public sector data assets”. The new facility will collate data sets and make it easier to share information – both between public bodies, as well as with industry and academia.

The design and delivery of the library will be informed by ongoing early-stage work – led by the Government Digital Service – to understand the current landscape and how public sector data could be shared more effectively. The tech unit’s investigations have already resulted in hundreds of data sets currently held by Whitehall bodies that have been earmarked for potential wider use, according to Baroness Maggie Jones, a minister at GDS’s parent agency the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

“GDS is working to ensure public sector data is fit for purpose, trusted and available via interoperable architecture,” she said. “Work is ongoing to ensure we can identify our most critical data assets and ensure they are managed and reused to maximise their value for public good within the scope of public sector activities, regardless of the individual departmental source. An initiative trialled across central government departments has already identified approximately 200 assets which will be made discoverable for reuse within the public sector with plans to make them more broadly available. What we learn from this will inform programmes such as the National Data Library.”

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Jones, who was answering a pair of written parliamentary questions from Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tim Clement-Jones, stressed the importance of public bodies complying with current privacy and data security laws and that “any proposals to develop changes to data sharing legislation for the public good will be subject to open policy making and full public consultation”.

Such laws will also be supplemented by new cross-government guidance being developed by GDS, said Jones, whose ministerial brief includes the future digital economy and online safety.

“All departments must adhere to the UK data protection legislation, which requires data protection impact assessments, legally binding agreements and contracts, and privacy notices to ensure transparency and the protection of personal information,” she said. “This requirement extends to data shared under the Digital Economy Act (DEA) Public Service Delivery power as outlined in the DEA Code of Practice. The register of information sharing agreements under the Digital Economy Act aims to support transparency.

The minister added: “To further reinforce these practices, Government Digital Service is developing a trust framework for data sharing, which aims to align with public and stakeholder expectations, ensure compliance with UK data protection laws and best governance practices, and establish an accountable, standardised, secure, and transparent approach to the use of public data assets.”