Open Government at All Levels (UK0076)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: United Kingdom – Third National Action Plan 2016-18
Action Plan Cycle: 2016
Status: Inactive
Institutions
Lead Institution: Scottish Government
Support Institution(s): Governments of Wales, Northern Ireland and Cabinet Office for UK and Open Government Partnership OGP Civil Society Networks from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and UK
Policy Areas
Public Participation, SubnationalIRM Review
IRM Report: United Kingdom End-of-Term Report 2016-2018, United Kingdom Mid-Term Report 2016-2018
Starred: No
Early Results: Marginal
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Access to Information , Civic Participation
Implementation i
Description
Objective: To share learning across the UK in order to establish the effective
governance for Open Government commitments - through collaborative dialogue
between governments, civil society and experts.
Status quo: In reviewing the first five years of Open Government Partnership a
number of important themes emerged. Including the need to bring in new political
leadership and open government innovations from all levels of government; to
ensure that OGP commitments provide real improvement in people’s lives. They
also identified that only 2% of commitments worldwide are aimed at health or
education or climate change.
Scotland is one of 15 Pioneer governments at various levels worldwide who are
developing action plans and working with OGP to consider these questions.
Scotland will lead a collaborative discussion within the UK with governments, civil
society and experts to identify how best to support the spread of Open Government.
The changing nature of democracy and varying levels of devolution in United
Kingdom make it an ideal testing ground for beginning to develop a robust
framework which enables OGP action Plans to be developed at the level that is most
effective for the people they serve. So that they are able to tackle some of the most
significant societal issues in ways which will support the delivery of the sustainable
development goals by 2030.
Ambition: The result will be a draft framework to set out how OGP, governments
and civil society can ensure that commitments are ‘owned’ at the level of government
best able to deliver improvements while maintaining the core values and effective
partnership with civil society.
IRM End of Term Status Summary
1. Effective Open Government for governments at all levels (Scotland)
Commitment Text:Developing Effective Open Government for governments at all levels, through the outputs from one or more summit discussions.
Main objective:To share learning across the UK in order to establish the effective governance for Open Government commitments – through collaborative dialogue between governments, civil society and experts.
Status quo:in reviewing the first five years of Open Government Partnership a number of important themes emerged. Including the need to bring in new political leadership and open government innovations from all levels of government; to ensure that OGP commitments provide real improvement in people's lives. They also identified that only 2% of commitments worldwide are aimed at health or education or climate change.
Scotland is one of 15 Pioneer governments at various levels worldwide who are developing action plans and working with OGP to consider these questions. Scotland will lead a collaborative discussion within the UK with governments, civil society and experts to identify how best to support the spread of Open Government.
The changing nature of democracy and varying levels of devolution in United Kingdom make it an
ideal testing ground for beginning to develop a robust framework, which enables OGP Action Plans to be developed at the level that is most effective for the people they serve. This will mean they are able to tackle some of the most significant societal issues in ways which will support the delivery of the sustainable development goals by 2030.
Ambition:The result will be a draft framework to set out how OGP, governments and civil society can ensure that commitments are ‘owned' at the level of government best able to deliver improvements while maintaining the core values and effective partnership with civil society.
Milestone:
1. One or more summit meetings between governments, civil society, OGP and experts to explore the issues collaboratively
Responsible institution: Scottish Government
Supporting institutions: Governments of Wales, Northern Ireland and Cabinet Office for UK and Open Government Partnership OGP Civil Society Networks from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and UK
Start date: Spring 2017
End date: December 2017
Commitment Aim:
The commitment aimed to develop co-operation and share learning on open government reforms across the UK. Specifically, the commitment uses the OGP framework to create ‘one or more summit meetings between governments, civil society, OGP and experts to explore the issues collaboratively' from across the four nations of the UK. Scotland has its own Freedom of Information (FOI) law that differs slightly from the UK-wide law.[Note 140: The University of Edinburgh, ‘Freedom of Information in Scotland and the rest of the UK', http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/Law/Legislation.aspx. For more on Scotland's separate OGP commitments, Andy McDevitt (2017), Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM): Scotland Final Report 2017.]
Overall, CSOs felt they were in a different place from a year previously when the pioneer status had been developed: for its promises of openness the Scottish government was ‘pursuing a very traditional approach to policy in tight circles' and neglecting possibilities around the link between public service reform and openness that they had previously championed.[Note 141: Interview with Ruchir Shah, SCVO, September 2017.]
Scotland is one of 15 participants of OGP's Subnational Government Pilot Program, created to recognise that ‘open government innovations and reforms are happening at the local level where governments can engage more directly with citizens and many crucial public services are delivered with their own'.[Note 142: OGP, ‘Subnational Government Pilot Program', https://www.opengovpartnership.org/subnational-government-pilot-program ] As a consequence, Scotland has a separate action plan running on a different timeframe (see the Scottish action plan for more details).[Note 143: Scotland's action plan, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/documents/scotland-united-kingdom-action-plan]
This commitment called for holding a summit (or summits) where equivalent Ministers from across UK governments (Britain, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - as well as local government and elected mayors) can meet and discuss open government reforms with civil society. Ideally, the summit would encourage collaboration and, more specifically, develop ideas for the next action plan and future commitments.[Note 144: Interview with Doreen Grove and Emma Harvey, Scottish Government, 24 August 2017.] However, the methodology to be used to address relevant issues was not specified.
Status
Midterm: Limited
The commitment initially had a deadline of December 2017, but discussions took longer. As of November 2017, the Scottish Government reported that it had not proven possible to find a suitable date within the calendar year. As of early 2018, a date had been set for April 2018, outside of the time period for this report, but within the time period of the action plan.[Note 145: Scottish Government (2017), Scotland Narrative for inclusion in UK Open Government, National Action Plan Self-Assessment Report (update sent to author October 2017).]
End of Term: Complete
The first UK-wide summit took place on 10 April 2018. It included 45 ‘representatives of the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland administrations, alongside local and regional governments and civil society representatives'.[Note 146: Niamh Webster (2018), Open Government Partnership Scotland hosts the first UK Open Government summit, 22 August 2018, https://blogs.gov.scot/open-government-partnership/2018/08/22/scotland-hosts-the-first-uk-open-government-summit/] There were speeches and presentations from village, city and national level government representatives, as well as OGP attendees.[Note 147: Interview with Doreen Grove and Emma Harvey, 22 May 2018.] As the post-summit analysis put it, the summit was intended as a space to discuss ‘their ambitions and common challenges' from their different perspectives.[Note 148: Niamh Webster (2018), Open Government Partnership Scotland hosts the first UK Open Government summit, 22 August 2018, https://blogs.gov.scot/open-government-partnership/2018/08/22/scotland-hosts-the-first-uk-open-government-summit/] The attendees looked into collective work and how to maintain momentum and ambition, as well as how change works. Topics in particular focused on cross level attempts around ‘openness, transparency and participation' and the need for ‘collective action' around how to ‘share learning and progress this agenda'. It was reported that there was an ‘appetite in the room to reconvene in a year's time to continue the discussion, or potentially other meet ups within the nations to prepare'.[Note 149: Ibid.]
Did It Open Government?
Access to Information: Marginal
Civic participation: Marginal
The meeting in April 2018 increased awareness of access to information approaches and experiments across the UK and was also important as a forum to share lessons, experiences and ideas between activists and officials at different levels of government, from the lowest to highest level. It also increased civic participation by bringing together, for the first time, UK-based civil society groups and politicians in a single place. Though listed as ‘marginal', if repeated in the future such meetings could be more impactful.
Carried Forward?
The Scottish government was considering a follow-up commitment as part of the next action plan that would build on the meetings and networks made, based around ‘learning/collaboration', drawn up between the various UK administrations.
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Commitments
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Grants Data
UK0090, 2019, Access to Information
-
Digital Charter
UK0091, 2019, Access to Information
-
Open Policy Making
UK0092, 2019, Open Regulations
-
Open Contracting Data
UK0093, 2019, Access to Information
-
Natural Resource Transparency
UK0094, 2019, Access to Information
-
Innovation in Democracy Programme
UK0095, 2019, Open Regulations
-
Sustainable Open Government
UK0096, 2019, Capacity Building
-
Local Transparency
UK0097, 2019, Access to Information
-
Beneficial Ownership – UK
UK0063, 2016, Anti-Corruption
-
Natural Resource Transparency
UK0064, 2016, Access to Information
-
Anti-Corruption Strategy
UK0065, 2016, Anti-Corruption
-
Anti-Corruption Innovation Hub
UK0066, 2016, Anti-Corruption
-
Open Contracting
UK0067, 2016, Access to Information
-
Grants Data
UK0068, 2016, Access to Information
-
Elections Data
UK0069, 2016, Access to Information
-
Revising Freedom of Information Act Code of Practice
UK0070, 2016, Access to Information
-
Identifying and Publishing Core Data Assets
UK0071, 2016, Access to Information
-
Involving Data Users in Shaping the Future of Open Data
UK0072, 2016, Access to Information
-
Better Use of Data Assets
UK0073, 2016, Access to Information
-
GOV.UK
UK0074, 2016, Access to Information
-
Ongoing Collaborative Approach to Open Government Reform
UK0075, 2016, E-Government
-
Open Government at All Levels
UK0076, 2016, Public Participation
-
Open Policy-Making and Public Engagement
UK0077, 2016, Capacity Building
-
Public Sector Innovation
UK0078, 2016, Access to Information
-
OCDS Implementation
UK0079, 2016, Access to Information
-
Open-Up Government
UK0080, 2016, Access to Information
-
Open Data Plan
UK0081, 2016, Access to Information
-
Open Data Service
UK0082, 2016, Access to Information
-
Statswales
UK0083, 2016, Access to Information
-
Data Research Centre Wales
UK0084, 2016, E-Government
-
Government Social Research Publication Protocol
UK0085, 2016, E-Government
-
Gov.Wales
UK0086, 2016, E-Government
-
Code of Practice in Supply Chains
UK0087, 2016, Labor
-
National Indicators for Wales
UK0088, 2016, Fiscal Openness
-
Well-Being Duty
UK0089, 2016, Anti-Corruption
-
National Information Infrastructure
UK0042, 2013,
-
NHS England Website and Network
UK0043, 2013, Health
-
Revised Local Authories Data Transparency Code
UK0044, 2013, Capacity Building
-
Transparent Social Investment Market
UK0045, 2013, Access to Information
-
Manage and Capture Digital Records
UK0046, 2013, Capacity Building
-
Cross-Government Anti-Corruption Plan
UK0047, 2013, Anti-Corruption
-
Company Beneficial Ownership Information
UK0048, 2013, Anti-Corruption
-
Access to Police Records
UK0049, 2013, Justice
-
Transparency in Construction
UK0050, 2013, Infrastructure & Transport
-
Legislative Openness
UK0051, 2013, Anti-Corruption
-
Whistleblowing
UK0052, 2013, Anti-Corruption
-
Open Contracting
UK0053, 2013, Anti-Corruption
-
Open Contracting Scotland
UK0054, 2013, Anti-Corruption
-
International Aid Transparency
UK0055, 2013, Access to Information
-
Health Care Data
UK0056, 2013, Access to Information
-
Open Policy Making
UK0057, 2013, E-Government
-
Sciencewise
UK0058, 2013, E-Government
-
Publication of Draft Legislation
UK0059, 2013, Legislative
-
OpenDataCommunities Programme
UK0060, 2013, Access to Information
-
PSI Re-Use Directive
UK0061, 2013, Access to Information
-
Extractive Transparency
UK0062, 2013, Access to Information
-
Ensuring a Clear Process to Support Reduction in Collection of ‘Unnecessary Data’
UK0024, 2011, E-Government
-
Developing Data.Gov.Uk and Identifying Other Digital Channels to Support Users
UK0025, 2011,
-
Evidence and Databases Behind Policy Statements
UK0026, 2011, E-Government
-
Data Underlying Surveys
UK0027, 2011, E-Government
-
Examining Ways for Improving the Use of Existing Published Data
UK0028, 2011, E-Government
-
Stimulate the Market for Innovative Use of Open Data
UK0029, 2011, Access to Information
-
Spend up to 5% of Budget Support on Accountability
UK0030, 2011, E-Government
-
Include the OGP Eligibility Criteria to Determine Readiness for UK Budget Support
UK0031, 2011, Aid
-
Publish Aid Information from All ODA Government Departments
UK0032, 2011, Aid
-
Use a Single Domain for Government Services
UK0033, 2011, E-Government
-
Mandate ‘Channel Shift’
UK0034, 2011, E-Government
-
Go Online for All Consultations
UK0035, 2011, E-Government
-
Develop Practical Guidelines on Departmental Access to Internet and Social Media
UK0036, 2011, Civic Space
-
Open Data and Application Interfaces in Ways That Encourage Businesses
UK0037, 2011, Access to Information
-
Create Cross-Government Standards on APIs
UK0038, 2011,
-
Establish Standardised Formats for User-Satisfaction Data
UK0039, 2011,
-
Provide Government Documents in Open Standard Format
UK0040, 2011, Access to Information
-
Implement Crowd-Sourcing and Engagement Processes
UK0041, 2011,
-
New Power to Secure Release of Valuable Datasets
UK0001, 2011,
-
New, Higher Cost Cap for FOI
UK0002, 2011, Access to Information
-
Meaningful Disincentives
UK0003, 2011,
-
Maximum Time Limits
UK0004, 2011, Access to Information
-
Altered Procurement Rules
UK0005, 2011,
-
Mandating Phased Introduction of ‘Public by Default’
UK0006, 2011, E-Government
-
Formalising Public Data Principles
UK0007, 2011,
-
Having in Place an Open Data Compliance Monitoring Process
UK0008, 2011,
-
Making Clear the Minimum Citizens Can Expect on Publication and Quality of Data
UK0009, 2011,
-
Ensuring a Line of Continuous Improvement for Public Service Providers
UK0010, 2011, Access to Information
-
Encourage Continuous Improvement
UK0011, 2011,
-
Setting Out How Citizens Can Challenge Where There Is Failure in the Process
UK0012, 2011, Public Participation
-
Establishing an Obligation to Consider and Act on User Feedback
UK0013, 2011, Public Participation
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Making Clear That Licenses Must Cover Free, Commercial Re-Use
UK0014, 2011,
-
Merge Information Asset Registers…Into a Single Data Inventory
UK0015, 2011,
-
Set Consistent Expectations of the Appropriate Quality of Meta-Data
UK0016, 2011, Records Management
-
For Data Co-Ordinated Across Government, Set Definitions
UK0017, 2011, E-Government
-
Introducing Corporate Responsibility at Transparency Board Level
UK0018, 2011,
-
Strengthening and Broadening the Public Sector Transparency Board
UK0019, 2011, Anti-Corruption
-
Bringing the Sector Transparency Board Model to Other Parts of Public Sector
UK0020, 2011, Anti-Corruption
-
Reviewing the Existing Governance and Regulatory Model
UK0021, 2011,
-
Establishing a Framework for Public Service Providers Data Inventories
UK0022, 2011, Records Management
-
Developing a Clear Methodology to Support Intelligent Inventories
UK0023, 2011,