Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Government does not always see data as a priority and data quality is often inadequate.36...
Conclusion
Government does not always see data as a priority and data quality is often inadequate.36 The NAO reported in 2019 that the quality and sharing of data is a clear example of a neglected and poorly planned activity, and there is a culture of tolerating and working around poor-quality data.37 We have drawn attention to poor data and a lack of joined up systems in numerous reports over the years, recently including for example, on supporting the vulnerable during lockdown, on tackling the tax gap, on effective regulation of gambling, on dealing with rough sleepers, and on identifying and tackling fraud and error.38 We also reported in 2019 on how it had become normal to work around poor-quality disorganised data across government and made several recommendations for improvement.39
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 4.2 The strategy will be completely delivered by April 2025; however, an interim progress report will be produced by December 2023. 4.3 The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) in Cabinet Office is responsible for delivery of Mission 3 of the National Data Strategy, and has led the creation of the Government’s 2022 to 2025 roadmap for digital and data. In this roadmap the government has outlined how all departments will work towards better use of data through a set of agreed commitments. 4.4 To provide strategic direction and oversee delivery on better use of data, CDDO convenes the Chief Data Officers’ Council, attended by data leaders from around 40 government departments, arm’s length bodies and the devolved administrations. 4.5 Governance and processes to enable the data standardisation agenda have been established. The Data Standards Authority, convened by CDDO, continues to endorse new data standards to drive convergence across government and work towards interoperability. Recent standards include the Beneficial Ownership standard (March 2022), and the Open Referral UK standard (March 2022). 4.6 To support data sharing across government, CDDO has published the Data Sharing Governance Framework, a set of principles and actions to reduce or remove common non- technical frictions and barriers to data sharing across government. CDDO is also establishing the Data Sharing Playbook, a virtual team to provide impartial support where data sharing and access discussions between departments are blocked with support from other government departments and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). During its discovery phase, the Playbook team has supported 21 cases and identified common blockers to data sharing across government departments.