7. 7. Debate: Data — Increasing Openness and Availability

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:21 pm on 26 September 2017.

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Photo of Julie James Julie James Labour 6:21, 26 September 2017

Yes, absolutely. I think the point of the debate, really, is that we need to look backwards a little bit at our systems, but as we develop new systems, we need to develop them in the spirit of open data insofar as that’s possible and permissible and doesn’t reveal any personal or sensitive information. So, I think I can absolutely say that, and we need to design those systems in in the first place. After all, we’re in a change in our culture and practice in our society about how we use data and how we regard it, and we need to make sure that we fully realise the benefits of the data sets available to us in planning services and reviewing our efficiency and effectiveness, and then rewarding ourselves, if you like, with the improvements that come from that renewed use of data. So, I think that’s another very good point.

But as I was saying, in terms of the procurement process, for example, one of the things we want to encourage is not just the open supply of data from the Government, in terms of what is procures, but actually open data from our suppliers, in terms of where they are procuring from and what their processes are, so that people can put two and two together and not make five in terms of the applications that can arise from that.

I very much wanted to end on that point, really. What this is actually about is about holding us to account and holding us accountable for the data that we produce. It’s not the same as publication of policies and so on. This is about the base data underneath that, so you can see—. When we put forward a policy on open data, for example, you can go back and look at the data we currently hold and see whether we’re holding true to that. You don’t just look at when we publish the policy itself.

We have a challenging economic climate; we need to make the most of the resources available to us all. One of the new resources in the twenty-first century is indeed data, and the Government needs to make sure that as we create more data than ever before, it’s imperative that we make that data accessible, useable, reusable, innovative. So, I’m very, very grateful that Members embrace the agenda, that we’ve started the transition, if you like, from understanding the base data that we’re talking about here, how it translates into our policy agenda, how we can publish that in a reusable form that will drive the innovative businesses in Wales that we need for the future, and also drive the public service improvement that we’d all like to see. Diolch, Llywydd.

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