The UK National Data Strategy

In September 2020 the UK Government issued its National Data Strategy for consultation with a clear aim:

It seeks to harness the power of data to boost productivity, create new businesses and jobs, improve public services and position the UK as the forerunner of the next wave of innovation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-national-data-strategy/national-data-strategy

The strategy is based around 4 key pillars:

  • Pillar 1 Foundations: ensuring data is fit for purpose
  • Pillar 2 Skills: data skills for a data-driven economy and data-rich lives
  • Pillar 3 Availability: ensuring data is appropriately accessible
  • Pillar 4 Responsibility: driving safe and trusted use of data

Subsequent discussion from a number of groups, including the Ada Lovelace Institute and the Open Data Institute (ODI) have addressed these areas through commentary, workshops, and conversations. A great summary of many of the issues they raised can be found in the recent report by ODI:

https://theodi.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Getting-data-rightperspectives-on-the-UK-National-Data-Strategy-2020.pdf

And Pillar 4 is being addressed in depth by the Ada Lovelace Institute, as described here:

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/our-work/rethinking-data/the-uk-national-data-strategy/

Take a look and provide your thoughts back to UK Government by responding online before 2nd December 2020.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/G6LSCS/

Leave a Reply