Spatial Data Infrastructures in the United Kingdom: State of play Spring 2004

Transcription

1 Spatial Data Infrastructures in the : State of play Spring 2004 Country report on SDI elaborated in the context of a study commissioned by the EC (EUROSTAT & DGENV) in the framework of the INSPIRE initiative August 2004 SPATIAL APPLICATIONS DIVISION K.U.LEUVEN RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Vital Decosterstraat 102, B-3000 LEUVEN TEL.: FAX: URL:

2 Report meta-information Title Spatial Data Infrastructures in The : State of play Spring 2004 Creator Catharina Bamps (SADL) & Peter Beusen (ICRI) Date Issued Subject INSPIRE State of Play Activities 1, 3 & 4 Publisher K.U.Leuven (SADL + ICRI) + Margaret Hall consultant Description This report is summarizing the review of SDI in the UK Contributor Jos Van Orshoven (SADL), Katleen Janssen (ICRI) Format MS Word 97/2000 Audience Identifier Rcr04UKv7.doc Language EN Coverage Snapshot at Version number Date Modified by Comments Catharina Bamps First version (SADL) & Peter Beusen (ICRI) Jos Van Orshoven (SADL) Completion & harmonization with 31 other country reports Catharina Bamps (SADL) Consolidation and integration of comments received from Mr. K. Murray and Mr. Earnshaw (Ordnance Survey GB) Addition of : - Report meta-information - Executive summary - Abbreviations/acronyms Jos Van Orshoven (SADL) Harmonisation with 31 other country reports Katleen Janssen General review, correction and (ICRI) Catharina Bamps (SADL) update of legal framework Integration of comments from Mr. Connelly, Russell, Policy Co-ordinator OSNI (Response OSNI), Mr Mark Linehan, director AGI and from limited

3 Jos Van Orshoven (SADL) review of web sites. General review, correction and update Addition of table pointing to changes with regard to Version 4 Consolidation

4 Change matrix 2004 versus 2003 Paragraphs in which information is reported which deviates in a significant way from what was reported in the Spring 2003 version of this country report are listed in the below table. Paragraph Type of change Executive summary Updated to reflect state Spring 2004 Abbreviations and Updated to reflect state Spring 2004 acronyms Updated to reflect state Spring Updated to reflect state Spring More detail added More detail added More detail added Updated to reflect state Spring Updated to reflect state Spring Updated to reflect state Spring Updated to reflect state Spring More detail added 2.5 More detail added 2.6 More detail added/ Updated to reflect state Spring References added K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 1

5 Executive summary Despite as early as 1995, the National Geospatial Data Framework (NGDF) initiative was launched to assist in the process of getting industry players round the table to tackle some common GI-issues, there is yet no formal NSDI in the UK, nor a single organisation with responsibility for its establishment and coordination. On the other hand, the country as a whole has a well developed GI sector, with extensive datasets available from both public and private sector sources. Various efforts have been undertaken to implement a broad metadata service but these have not been sustainable. These developments have taken place within a robust commercial, i.e. customer driven framework, with central government also adopting a policy of cost recovery for some of its data resources. There has been criticism that such commercially-lead policy is hampering informed governance and the further development of value-added services in the private sector. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of interest among the key players for the development of a more coordinated national spatial data policy in UK. The Ordnance Surveys of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Association for Geographic Information are generally being considered to have a central role in the elaboration and execution of this policy. An important driver is the modernising government agenda through which the importance of geographic information has been recognised at the most senior levels of government. An important element for the development of an NSDI in the UK is that public geoinformation is strongly protected by far reaching Crown copyright. No other country has a system quite like it. Crown copyright covers a wide range of material, including Ordnance Survey mapping. The Ordnance Survey (Great Britain) is the national mapping agency of England Scotland and Wales. It provides the underpinning reference framework and infrastructure. Before 1999, the OS worked within a maximum cost recovery model. Since April 1999, the OS(GB) operates as a Trading Fund (the user pays funding model) and has as such greater responsibility for own finances and planning, extra freedom to develop new initiatives. The financing of activities that are of national interest fall under the National Interest Mapping Services Agreement (NIMSA). This Agreement came into effect on 1 April 1999 when OS started to operate as a Trading Fund and ends March In July 2004, a new framework document setting out the role and responsibilities of Ordnance Survey has been presented to Parliament by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It endorses the business model under which Ordnance Survey operates, and sets out financial arrangements for the agency. The Deputy Prime Minister confirms that the excellent performance of the Ordnance Survey, which operates as a Trading Fund from 1999, has shown that working commercially is still the most appropriate way for the agency to operate. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 2

6 The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland works along the same lines as the OSGB. The common national infrastructure NIGIS is a now defunct programme which has been superceded by A Geographic Information Strategy for Northern Ireland containing an INSPIRE-compatible vision. The Association for Geographic Information (AGI) which brings together over members from public and private sectors, data producers and users, holds a neutral position as it represents the GI-community as a whole (public + private). AGI is currently hosting the web-based metadata service GI-gateway and has recently launched MetaGenie, the UK metadata creation tool. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 3

7 Table of Contents CHANGE MATRIX 2004 VERSUS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS... 4 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS GENERAL INFORMATION METHOD THE GI- AND NSDI-SCENE IN THE UK DETAILS OF THE NSDI-SITUATION IN THE UK GENERAL INFORMATION COMPONENT 1: LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND FUNDING COMPONENT 2: REFERENCE DATA AND CORE THEMATIC DATA COMPONENT 3: METADATA FOR REFERENCE DATA AND CORE THEMATIC DATA COMPONENT 4: ACCESS AND OTHER SERVICES FOR REFERENCE DATA, CORE THEMATIC DATA AND THEIR METADATA COMPONENT 5: STANDARDS COMPONENT 6: THEMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL DATA USE AND EFFICIENCY OF SDI ANNEXES SDI ADDRESSES & CONTACTS FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM LIST OF REFERENCES FOR UNITED KINGDOM K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 4

8 Abbreviations and acronyms AGI Association for Geographic Information BSI British Standards Institute CT Core Thematic Data DNF Digital National Framework FIR Further Investigation Required GEMINI Geo-spatial Metadata Interoperability Initiative GI Geographical Information GINIE Geographic Information Network in Europe GIS Geographical Information System GPS Global Positioning System HMSO Her Majesty s Stationary Office IGGI Intra-Governmental Group on GI INSPIRE INfrastructure for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe NDPB non-departmental public bodies NGDF National Geospatial Data Framework NIGIS Northern Ireland Geographic Information System NIMSA National Interest Mapping Services Agreement NLIS National Land Information Service NLPG National Land & Property Gazetteer NSDI National Spatial Data Infrastructures NSG National Street Gazetteer NTD National Topographic Database ODPM Office of the Deputy Prime Minister OS Ordnance Survey OSGB Ordnance Survey of Great Britain OSNI Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland PSI Policy and legislation on access to public sector information PPP Public-private partnerships REF Reference data SDI Spatial Data Infrastructures UKSGB Standard Geographic Base UPRN Unique Property Reference Number VLA Valuation & Lands Agency K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 5

9 1 GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Method This report is summarizing the review of SDI in the, and aims at reflecting the degree to which the SDI-situation is similar to the ideas set out in the INSPIRE position papers 1 and the more recent INSPIRE scoping documents. The report is based on the analysis of various documents, project references and web sites readily accessible (See Section 3.2 for the full list of consulted references). Basic information was found in the recent GINIE-reports. The report has been completed by integration and consolidation of comments received from representatives of the Ordnance Surveys (GB in 2003 and NI in 2004) and through interviews organized in the framework of Activity 2 of the State-of-Play project in May- June The GI- and NSDI-scene in the UK Overview The UK has a unique political and administrative structure. It is made up of the three nations England, Scotland and Wales, and the province of Northern Ireland. Scotland has for some issues a specific legal system, reflected e.g. in the land registry which is different from the HM Land Registry in England and Wales. Decentralisation is clearly progressing which impacts on governance, regulations and information and data provision. The modernising government agenda is another important driver for change. It comprises the Joined-Up Government initiative which aims at effective, efficient data sharing across organisations. It also implies the implementation of the e-government plan through which the UK Office of the e-envoy (part of the Prime Minister's Delivery and Reform team based in the Cabinet Office) is responsible for ensuring that all government services are available electronically by 2005 with key services. Both items have lead to a firm recognition by the central government of the GI-sector. The traditional producers of reference and core thematic spatial data in the UK are: The Ordnance Survey of England Scotland and Wales (OSGB), the national mapping agency for Great Britain, providing the underpinning reference framework and infrastructure for Great Britain. ; 1 INSPIRE position papers, final versions: RDM, ETC, DPLI, ASF, IST, IAS (latest version). K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 6

10 The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI), the national mapping agency for the province providing the underpinning reference framework and infrastructure for Northern Ireland. ( ) ; POSTCOM, the regulator of postal services including maintenance and access to a key dataset, the postal address file. It can be stated that reference and core thematic data are now largely in place for the UK. More attention is now being devoted to linking it all together. From there a great deal of interest exists for the development of a national spatial data policy. With respect the establishment of such a policy, the key players are: The Intra-Governmental Group on GI (IGGI), representing central government departments; The Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government ( ) and the Association for Geographic Information (AGI) ( ) which brings together over members from public and private sectors, data producers and users. Following the devolution or decentralisation, national groups were set up in Scotland (AGIS), Wales and Northern Ireland. Other players have a pertinent role in the Spatial Data Policy and SDI-related context: The Cabinet Office, through its e-envoy ( ) in respect to e-government policies, and through Her Majesty s Stationary Office (HMSO: ) for regulating the management of Crown copyright ; The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), that is responsible for both local government, regional development, planning and several new key initiatives (such as attacking the ills of social exclusion). ; In Scotland the Scottish Executive fulfils much the same role as the ODPM in England. ; In Wales the National Assembly fulfils much the same role as the ODPM in England. ; The major data producers OSGB, OSNI and POSTCOM. The Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey is the official adviser to the Government on GI. Collaboration between these bodies is well developed, but clearly operating within a bottom-up market-oriented context. There is no single high-profile central government led initiative to co-ordinate the provision and dissemination of GI at the national level. In Britain, central government does not see this as its business, even though some of its core K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 7

11 policies such as partnerships between government agencies in delivering services at the local level, would clearly benefit from a coordinated GI framework as the basis for sharing information. This stand-off approach is considered to leave more room to the participation of the private sector in the development of a national GI framework, and to foster innovative solutions. Under the e-government initiatives, a clear tendency towards more coordination is present, i.e. the evolution in the direction of a more centrally managed SDI, in which the Ordnance Surveys of Great Britain and Northern Ireland play a key role. Hence it is from the perspective of OSGB, OSNI and also AGI that the NSDI-situation in the UK is further described in Chapter 2. First some more information about these players is provided OSGB In the last few years, the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (OSGB) has taken the lead to promote a joined up approach to geographic information through several initiatives. An important driving force for this is the National Interest Mapping Services Agreement (NIMSA), concluded on October 13, With this seven-year agreement, OSGB is to provide to the British Government improved mapping and other services needed in the national interest. Data production and mapping services are addressed in Section 2.3. Other SDI-related key provisions derived from NIMSA include: Providing core funding for the development of the National Geospatial Data Framework to assist the greater integration of computer datasets; Representing the British Government on national and international forums in the fields of mapping, survey and geographical information; Maintaining the capability to supply the geographical information needs of the educational sector, particularly within the National Curriculum; Maintaining the capability to respond to requests from Government and the public for information relating to survey, mapping and geographical information. Other OSGB-initiatives include: Developing common specifications and standards with OSNI and Ordnance Survey Ireland. The web site provides information and guidance on using mapping and data products from the three National Mapping Agencies responsible for mapping Britain and Ireland. Although they share the name Ordnance Survey they are, in fact, three separate organisations each responsible to their own governments. Each has their own portfolio of products and services, each produced to their own specifications; K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 8

12 The development of the Digital National Framework, a set of standards and technologies to promote joined up geography; Collaboration with the UK Hydrographic Office and British Geological Survey to promote a seamless transition into the offshore geography and subsurface geology; Collaboration with the land registries, local authorities, Royal Mail and the Valuation Office Agency to promote an integrated approach to land and property information; The development of a Pilot Pan Government agreement to provide easy access to many of the key government datasets for over 560 central government bodies and agencies. This mirrors a similar agreement providing data to over 550 local authorities and related bodies. OSGB is in the unique position of being responsible for mapping at all scales, including the large ones which in other European countries are often the responsibility of local government and the Cadastre. The OSGB exercises a virtual monopoly in the provision of mapping through the enforcement of Crown Copyright, which covers both maps and databases without requiring the mark of originality as in other European Countries. The role of the OSGB is crucial also because its Director General is the advisor on GI matters to the Government. On 21 July 2004, a new framework document setting out the role and responsibilities of Ordnance Survey has been presented to Parliament by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It follows a government review which reconfirmed Ordnance Survey s status as a government department and executive agency operating as a Trading Fund, earning commercial revenues for its geographical information in order to be self-financing. The framework document endorses the business model under which Ordnance Survey operates, and sets out fresh financial arrangements for the agency. Together, these are designed to ensure Ordnance Survey continues to strike the right balance between maintaining consistent and accurate geographical information for the whole of Great Britain while ensuring its operations are funded by earning income and generating profits from the licensing of data to both the public and private sectors. Ordnance Survey is now required to make an average return on the capital it employs currently around 40 million of at least 5.5% a year. In addition, it will be expected to pay an annual dividend to the government: the amount of the dividend will be determined when each year s trading results are known. In a foreword to the framework document, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott says: On my recommendation, Parliament decided that Ordnance Survey should operate as a Trading Fund from 1999, and its excellent performance since then has shown that working commercially with partners is still the most appropriate way for the agency to operate. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 9

13 1.2.3 OSNI The aims of the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland are similar to those of OSGB: To maintain a topographical archive to the required standards of currency and completeness, and To meet the needs of customers for information from this archive. OSNI has developed a common national infrastructure (NIGIS) for sharing spatial information among a wide range of private-and public-sector organisations, for improvement of the accessibility and usefulness of geographic information held by government departments and public utilities. The common basis of the system is the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland s topographic database to which all other spatial data are to be referenced. Access to core topographical data is by application to the digital sales Department at Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. Government policy aimed at delivering more services electronically has recently been introduced so methods of access may be extended. A metadata service is also available to highlight datasets that are fit for purpose. The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland reviewed the NIGIS (Northern Ireland Geographic Information System) in order to shift the focus from a technical forum to a strategic forum. A consultation document A GI strategy for Northern Ireland containing an INSPIRE-compatible vision was launched to promote a coordinated crossgovernmental approach, standardisation of address data (Pointer), collaboration (crossborder) (OSGB, OSNI, OSI) and harmonisation. The consultation period for this consultation document ended on 7th March As a result NIGIS is a now defunct programme which has been superceded by A Geographic Information Strategy for Northern Ireland. Six key elements for successful implementation of a distributed GIS within Northern Ireland were identified: Co-ordination and integration.; Fully maintained digital topographical data of sufficient complexity to provide the fundamental locational element; A method of linking the various spatial references; Data compatibility; Effective communication systems. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 10

14 1.2.4 AGI The National Geospatial Data Framework (NGDF) was an initiative launched at the AGI 95 event. The emphasis was on a framework of standards, metadata and services. This resulted in two products : A metadata service, the UK Standard Geographic Base. A website gateway to the services and data was launched: the askgiraffe Data Locator (launched July 2000) and the askgiraffe Data Integrator (launched September 2000). The NGDF was however not perceived as being wholy successful. Therefore in September 2001 the NGDF transferred its management and operation to the Association for Geographic Information (AGI) and was operated by seconded staff from the Ordnance Survey. Full responsibility for the askgiraffe Service was transferred to the AGI in April 2002 and the contracts of the Ordnance Survey staff came to an end. A new team, employed by the AGI improved the service and established a new name and website: GIgateway (the Data Locator, Data Directory and area Search). The Data Locator is essentially a search engine for geographical information. NGDF was abandoned. In February 2004, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister defined in a letter to AGI, the UK Government position on INSPIRE, addressing AGI as the recognised national organisation representing the UK geographic information community. It was stated that the UK Government, including Defra and ODPM, as joint leads, is supportive of the aspirations of INSPIRE and shares the Commission s views on the importance of geographic information in underpinning the development and delivery of EC policies. It was also stated that the UK Government is continuing its commitment to INSPIRE, with representation at both the Expert group and these new taskforces. Following the common procedure of the Cabinet Office for reaching judgement on European proposals, a regulatory impact (RIA) assessment has been recommended from the AGI that addresses the initial RIA topics Other SDI-related initiatives OSmaps ( a full comparative list of products is available from the three organisations (Ordnance Survey of Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland) for different business types (Leisure and Education, Historical, Planning and analysis, Imagery, Routing and Transport, Backdrop and Internet mapping, Demographics, Environmental, 3D and Height Modelling, Survey and Control Information, Land use). The National GPS Network ( ) which is a web-based service that provides an essential resource for the precise Global Positioning System (GPS) user in Great Britain. It is intended for GPS-equipped surveyors K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 11

15 (land, hydrographic and engineering surveyors), recreational users and for geographical information systems (GIS) developers who work with Ordnance Survey mapping. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 12

16 2 Details of the NSDI-situation in the UK 2.1 General Information Despite as early as 1995, the National Geospatial Data Framework (NGDF) initiative was launched to assist in the process of getting industry players round the table to tackle some common GI-issues, there is yet no formal NSDI in the UK, nor a single organisation with responsibility for its establishment and coordination. On the other hand, the country as a whole has a well developed GI sector, with extensive data sets available from both public and private sector sources. Most developments have taken place within a robust commercial framework, with central government also adopting a policy of cost recovery for some of its data resources. A shift in government policy has started to emerge in the last three years through its agenda to modernise and better coordinate government departments, which hinges to a large extent on e-government, i.e. the availability of all government services at both central and local level in electronic form by Within this framework the importance of geographic information has been recognised at the most senior levels of government, leading also to a more general reflection on funding and regulatory regimes. 2.2 Component 1: Legal framework and funding Legal framework and organizational issues There is no legal framework or high-profile central government led initiative to coordinate the provision and dissemination of GI at the national level. The British central government does not see this as its business. The Ordnance Survey has however recently been taking a stronger lead in joining up several agencies through collaboration and in conjunction with the Office of Deputy Prime Minister Public-private partnerships (PPP s) An important flagship project with respect to public-private partnership in the GI-sector is lead by the National Land Information Service ( ). This project is providing a service through which it is now possible to search for property details online. General statements about PPP related to GI have not been found. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 13

17 2.2.3 Policy and legislation on access to public sector information (PSI) The UK government has broadly signaled its position with regard to the accessibility of public sector information by passing a Freedom of Information Act in The government however announced in 2001 that implementation of provisions on the right to access was being delayed until The Act has received considerable criticism from many politicians across the political spectrum and NGOs as being insufficient and weaker than the existing code of practice. In June 2002, the Scottish Parliament approved a Freedom of Information bill that is regarded as stronger than the English Freedom of Information Act. It also will not go into effect until Free access by the citizen to information on the environment has however been specified since 1992 by a Statutory Instrument. Whilst the provision of core data is well developed in the UK, less progress has been made thus far on metadata services (most of the data are only accessible off-line). Central government is now developing the e-government portal ( ), and a catalogue of public sector data ( ) using common metadata. Some progress has been made but there is still much work to do. Equally, on the GI side, an earlier attempt to develop a metadata service (SINES) in the mid 1990s was withdrawn for the difficulty of keeping it up-to-date, and its successor AskGIraffe which was maintained by Ordnance Survey with central government funding is also undergoing major changes, and will now be managed by the AGI under contract to the Ordnance Survey (AskGIraffe became Gigateway). Hopefully this new organisational set up will provide the winning solution to extend the service beyond central government departments, and more crucially to give it high profile and ensure its maintenance, with linkages to the e-government portals Legal protection of GI by intellectual property rights Part I on copyright of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It came into force on 1 August Chapter X of Part I of this Act has some special provisions on Crown and Parliamentary copyright. This 1988 Act provided a major updating of copyright law but the process has continued since then with a number of amendments. EU Directive 96/9/EC of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases was implemented by the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulation 1997, coming into force on 1 January The Copyright (Computer Programs) Regulations 1992 came into force on 1ste January Both Regulations made amendments to the above Copyright, Designs and Patents Act The amendments to the Copyright Act that transposed the 2001 directive on copyright in the information society into English law came into force on October 31st, K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 14

18 There are fundamental differences in the perception of the rights given by copyright as between the Anglo-Saxon countries (the and Ireland) and major continental European countries. In the Anglo-Saxon system (in the UK at least) the emphasis is on the economic dimension of copyright, the level of originality required is very low, and "sweat of the brow" investment is protected. In the UK, government geo-information is strongly protected by far reaching Crown copyright. No other country has a system quite like it. Crown copyright is defined in the above Act as a work made by Her Majesty or by an officer or servant of the Crown in the course of his duties. It covers a wide range of material, including legislation, government codes of practice, Ordnance Survey mapping, government reports, official press releases, government forms and many public records. There are however public sector copyright owners other than the Crown, such as local authorities and non-departmental public bodies (NDPB). These are thus not subject to Crown copyright control. The UK system of Crown copyright does however apply to the Ordnance Survey (OS) ( which holds a strong market position as far as geographic products are concerned. It is responsible for mapping at all the scales. The OS therefore exercises a virtual monopoly in the provision of mapping through the enforcement of Crown copyright. The controller of Crown Copyright is the HMSO ( which has recently acquired a new role as gatekeeper and regulator of access to Crown copyright information. In its role of regulator, the HMSO is inter alia responsible for establishing the regulatory framework for Crown copyright information and for assisting public sector bodies that want to adopt similar regulatory frameworks. Although HMSO is nominally the body responsible for the administration of Crown copyright and the granting of licences, in certain cases, such as the OS, this authority has been delegated to the department or agency concerned. Public sector copyright owners other than the Crown have recently been asked to review their strategies and align them with the approach being proposed in relation to Crown copyright Restricted access to GI further to the legal protection of privacy The Parliament approved the Data Protection Act in July 1998, which came into force on 1 March This Act updates the 1984 Data Protection Act in accordance with the requirements of the EU Directive 95/46/EC. The 1998 Act covers records held by government agencies and private entities. It provides for limitations on the use of personal information, access to and correction of records and requires that entities that maintain records, register with the Information Commissioner ( The Office of the Information Commissioner is an independent agency that maintains the register and enforces the Act. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 15

19 Directive 2002/58 on privacy and electronic communications has not been transposed into English law yet Licensing framework Although HMSO is nominally the body responsible for the administration of Crown copyright and the granting of licenses, in certain cases -such as the Ordnance Surveyauthority has been delegated to the department or agency concerned. HMSO is thus the regulator and licensor of access to government information. HMSO's licensing division manages and licenses the Crown copyright material. Linked to this responsibility are the task to define policy on Crown copyright and the task to delegate certain Crown copyright licensing responsibilities to other government departments and agencies. Two basic types of licenses are offered by HMSO: A click-use license and A tailored license. The click-use license covers a wide range of core government information. The charging policy for this click-use license is that the customer will only be charged if there is a cost in supplying the material to the customer or converting data from one format or medium into another. The material covered by this License can therefore be directly reproduced from an Official Source without any charge. Tailored licenses cover all other types of material, particularly value added material produced by government. Certain information falls within waiver conditions, meaning that in those cases the Crown's copyright has been asserted but subsequently waived to ensure wide access and dissemination of the material. In September 2000, the government accepted the recommendations of the Cross Cutting Review of the Knowledge Economy, published in December The aim of the Review was to facilitate a vibrant market for government information, responding to perceptions in government and the private sector that it was difficult to make the most productive use of government information. The Review found that there were administrative barriers that inhibited potential users from outside the government from identifying useful information. It saw that the government did not have a single coherent policy on how to decide whether, and on what conditions, to allow the reuse of government information, nor was there a single point of contact for assistance or decisions. Administrative challenges therefore discouraged private sector organisations trying to make innovative re-use of government information and prices were often perceived as high. The Review recommended changes, in the administration of licensing, and in the pricing of licenses. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 16

20 2.2.7 Funding model for SDI and pricing policy Successive governments have been pursuing an efficiency-driven policy, in respect to government departments, that has turned many of them into executive agencies with cost recovery targets. This has been coupled with an early recognition of the economic value of public sector information. GI is a front runner in this respect as it contributes three quarters of the 200 million raised by the Treasury through the sale of Copyright material. The uniquely large size of the average local authority in Great Britain (145,000 people) has made it possible to adopt a business model of high prices for relatively few large customers such as local government and the utilities. This model has been justified on the basis that the revenue raised has also enabled the investment necessary to create sophisticated data products and services in a relative short time. Funding Taking into account all the above, it is clear that the many elements that contribute to the SDI in the UK are funded through a mixture of public funding and user charges. The largest part of the financing however comes from cost recovery. Prices are generally higher than the marginal costs. The NIMSA (National Interest Mapping Services Agreement) however, shows the importance of the government as a client of OSGB. NIMSA identifies all the services towards which the Government will contribute 42 million over the first three years of its life, starting on 1 April Funding for the remaining period of the agreement (until 2006) will be the subject of future negotiations. Before 1999, the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain worked within a maximum cost recovery model. Since April 1999, the OS(GB) operates as a Trading Fund (the user pays funding model) and has as such greater responsibility for own finances and planning, extra freedom to develop new initiatives. The financing of activities that are of national interest fall under the NIMSA. Rhind reported in 1998 following cost recovery percentages by a number of GI-supplying (semi-)public agencies in the UK. Expenditure ( m) Revenue ( m) % cost recovery Central statistical office Office for property census and surveys Meteorological Office British Geological Survey Hydrographic office Ordnance survey Registers of Scotland (cadastral) K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 17

21 Her Majesty s Land Registry (cadastral) In July 2004, a new framework document setting out the role and responsibilities of Ordnance Survey has been presented to Parliament by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It endorses the business model under which Ordnance Survey operates, and sets out financial arrangements for the agency. The Deputy Prime Minister confirms that the excellent performance of the Ordnance Survey, which operates as a Trading Fund from 1999, has shown that working commercially is still the most appropriate way for the agency to operate. As stated in Annex B of the new framework document (July 2004) Business model 2 : The Financial Management of OS is underpinned by 3 principles: The Trading Fund model is one of breaking even one year with another after allowing for operating costs, investment needs, loan repayments and agreed levels of dividend ; In the event that OS is more profitable than forecasted after investing in national interest and customer driven improvements, surpluses in excess of thoses needed to sustain future development can be avoided by lowering prices; Revenue shortfalls will be compensated, where possible, by an appropriate combination of increased productivity, efficiency savings,reduced costs,lower dividends and curtailing loss-making,non-core activities. The costing model : Slightly different models for allocating costs to products and services are applied to the business, consumer and national interest elements of Ordnance Survey operations. The same source data are used for a wide range of core business products and supply of a data or graphic product from the database does not reduce the volume of data available to other customers. Ordnance Survey derives its wide portfolio of business products from a small number of databases. Where possible, costs are allocated directly to specific products, but many data collection, data management and investment costs can only be allocated at the database level. Individual consumer products are more selfcontained and a higher percentage of direct costs are identified at product level. However, here too a range of technical costs are allocated as shared costs. Customised and national interest services attract specific labour and other expenses including costs for use of standard products. 2 Annex B of K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 18

22 For all costing models, additional investment and fixed costs overheads are applied. A further sales and marketing overhead is added to all but national interest services. OSNI aims to connect to the GI-policy of OSGB. Commercial INSPIRE-barriers which OSGB might meet, are different from OSNI as it is not a Trading Fund and operates with a different business model (60% cost recovery). Pricing The GI sector has developed within a robust commercial framework, with central government also adopting a policy of cost recovery for some of its data resources. Funding thus falls upon the users, which ensures that the products are customer driven and that the data is maintained. The UK government directs its agencies to recover costs through charges and other income-generating activities, with some agencies (e.g. HM Land Registry and the Meteorological Office) having cost recovery rates in excess of 100%. A couple of years ago the Ordnance Survey (OS) acquired the special status of Trading Fund, which imposes on the organisation a responsibility to make a profit. Its role is crucial in any consideration of the uses and sale of GI in the UK. Because OS copyright data is the matrix for the majority of other public sector GI, and given that OS both before and after becoming a Trading Fund has pursued enthusiastically commercial strategies, the consequence has been upward pressure on other agencies costs and therefore on their charging levels. The reforms announced towards the end of 2000 include the decision that departments and agencies other than trading funds will move to a policy of marginal cost pricing for their basic raw information (unless a specific statutory enactment indicates otherwise). With marginal cost pricing, the government would bear the costs of obtaining the information for the original government policy purpose, but recipients would be charged any additional costs involved in data preparation and distribution. However, all government bodies, including those for whom the general rule of marginal cost pricing applies, will continue to be free to develop value-added services which compete in the open market place, provided this can be achieved transparently and with a level playing field for all market participants. Public sector copyright owners other than the Crown, such as local authorities and NDPBs, will be required to review their charging, licensing and access strategies with a view to aligning them with Crown copyright. It is however quite clear that all government bodies, including those for whom the general rule of costing applies, should still be encouraged to develop value-added services charged at market prices, preferably through partnership with the private sector. As presented in Annex B Business model of the new framework document (2004) 3 setting out the role and responsibilities of Ordnance Survey on pricing model : 3 Annex B of K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 19

23 Prices for OS core products and services are determined by a number of key factors : Value to customers; Information content relative to other OS products; Effect of competitive forces and existing pricing structures in the marketplace; Investment funding required to continue to meet customer requirements and The need for the Trading Fund to achieve its long-term financial and investment targets and generate a return on its assets. 2.3 Component 2: Reference data and core thematic data Scale and resolution: European, National, Regional, Local, Other The scale levels supported by the various data producers in the UK cover the: very large scale (1:1.250, 1:2.500), large scale (1:10.000, 1: :50.000), small to very small scale (1: ). Large-scale detailed mapping mapping products include: OS MasterMap, Land-Line, Superplan Data, Superplan plots, Siteplan Data and Siteplan plots, Aerial Photography, Landplan. Mid-scale mapping : OS Street View, 1: Scale Raster, K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 20

24 1: Scale Colour Raster. Small-scale mapping : 1: Scale Colour Raster, 1: Scale Gazetteer, 1: Scale Colour Raster, Strategi, Meridian Reference data and core thematic data by resolution or scale range Several core databases are available nationally. They include: The underpinning geographic reference base from Ordnance Survey (GB): A detailed seamless database of over 400 million topographic features, updated daily and marketed as OS MasterMap; A national georeferenced address database including 26 million postal addresses; A transport network; A set of administrative, electoral and postal boundaries; A national elevation model and Several derived datasets at 1:10.000, 1:25.000, 1:50.000, 1: and smaller. Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland provides or is working on products similar to the ones of OSGB. Geodatasets with maritime features (coastal zone and offshore) are produced by the UK Hydrographic Office. Land and Property data come: from Her Majesty s Land Register, Registers of Scotland and the Land Registers of Northern Ireland. Address databases are produced by the Royal Mail/Consigna. Pointer is the new address database being developed for Northern Ireland with the joint support of Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI), the Valuation & Lands Agency (VLA) and Royal Mail. Socio-economic data come from the Office of National Statistics, and the Scottish statistical service (General Register Office for Scotland). Geological databases come from the British Geological Survey Other data products available include: K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 21

25 Historical mapping : Historical Map Data, Historical mapping, Location mapping, MiniScale Address referencing : ADDRESS-POINT, Code-Point and Code-Point with polygons, Boundary data : Boundary-line Administrative boundary maps : SABE, ED-LINE Roads : OSCAR Asset-Manager, OSCAR Traffic-Manager Height data : Land-Form PROFILE, LIDAR In addition there are several important data resources available from the private sector, for example historical maps, imagery, and geodemographic classifications, and from local government. The latter is taking an increasingly active role, particularly in relation to the maintenance of street names and addresses, and the development of a National Street Gazetteer. The data production for which central government provides cofunding under the NIMSAagreement are: Re-engineering of the National Topographic Database (NTD) which contains the most detailed computer mapping of Britain by enhancing the data structure, data integrity and data management system; Speeding up the updating of mapping of rural, mountain and moorland areas; Maintaining the definitive record of all administrative and electoral boundaries in Britain and incorporating them in to the NTD; Creating and maintaining the database for the new series of 1: scale maps for the whole of Britain the scale most favoured by ramblers; Maintaining the national rights of way record for mapping purposes; Improving the positional accuracy of highly-detailed 1:2.500 scale mapping; Maintaining the horizontal and vertical control networks across the whole country; Undertaking scientific geodesy; Managing the corporate geospatial databases and establishing a historical archive of annual snap-shots of the large-scale database; Maintaining the nationwide digital terrain model derived from the 1: scale height database; K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 22

26 Creating a database of new generation 1: scale mapping, derived from large-scale mapping, and covering the whole country by 2001; Undertaking and recording tidal surveys, including the regular revision of mean high and low water marks around the British coast; Collecting, storing and depicting Welsh and Gaelic names in mapping data and quality improvements to ensure the consistent depiction of names, in general, across all datasets; Delivering the most appropriate mapping at high speed in emergencies, such as when a plane crashes or a coastal oil spill occurs; Ensuring that the mapping of security-classified sites complies with Government policy; Other provisions include the recording of Welsh and Gaelic names on maps and the creation of a three-dimensional geographical positioning network for Britain, integrating information on the ground with that provided by orbiting satellites. For Northern Ireland: Vector data: Large scale : 1:1.250,1:2.500, Small scale : 1:50.000/1: At large scale, multi-attributed vector data is organized into 180 themes ranging from transport networks, rivers, buildings, administrative boundaries, parcel perimeters and geodetic control. The data also contains grid reference or addresses linked to grid references of properties whereby the information held in other databases may be interfaced. At smaller scale: themes include roads, elevation, administrative boundaries, rivers and lakes, soil survey and CORINE land cover (1: ) Raster data : street maps : 1:8.000, 1:10.000, 1:12.000, 1:50.000, 1: Geodetic reference systems and projections Great Britain : The Transverse Mercator Projection is used by the Ordnance Survey to provide a clearly defined spatial reference system in Great Britain for any place or entity whatever the map scale. The horizontal and vertical coordinate systems and transformations to/from ETRS89 are available. K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 23

27 All maps of Northern Ireland published since 1955 are based on a Transverse Mercator (Gauss Conformal) projection designed to cover the whole of Ireland and known as the Irish Grid. The projection parameters are: True Origin Lat 53 30' North, Long 8 00' West of Greenwich; False Origin metres West and metres South of true origin; Scale Factor on central meridian Approximate scale factor at Eastern and Western extremities: ; Unit of Length International metre. The Northern Ireland primary triangulation station co-ordinates may be obtained from Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland based on the following Datums ; Ireland ( 1975) Geographical co-ordinates OSGB ( SN ) 70 Geographical co-ordinates OSGB ( SN ) Geographical and Cartesian coordinates 80 ED50 Geographical co-ordinates Geographical and Cartesian coordinates ED87 Geographical and Cartesian coordinates WGS Quality of the reference data & core thematic data Information on the update frequency is available for the different data products on Interoperability The dominating GIS-software is ESRI and MapInfo Formats provided by the OSs : NTF, DXF, ASCII, DWG, MAP INFO, TIFF Language and culture Metadata, documents are provided exclusively in English. In a project lead by the National Land Information Service ( the ability is developed to uniquely identify every single property in the country. This necessitates the completion of two other projects: NLPG National Land & Property K.U.Leuven (SADL-ICRI) + Hall 24