UK Open Government Partnership National Action Plan 2016-18: Commitments from the Welsh Government
Contents
Commitment 1 - Open data plan
Commitment 2: Open data service
Commitment 3: StatsWales
Commitment 4: Administrative Data Research Centre Wales
Commitment 5: Government Social Research Publication Protocol
Commitment 6: Gov.Wales
Commitment 7: Code of Practice for Ethical Employment in Supply Chains
Commitment 8: Well-being of Future Generations Act – National Indicators for Wales
Commitment 9: Well-being duty on specified public bodies in Wales
Commitment 1 - Open data plan
Develop and implement an open data plan for Welsh Government and work towards achieving the commitments outlined within the plan.
Objective
To develop a plan that outlines Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to open data and increase awareness of open data across Welsh Government.
Status quo
Within Welsh Government we are already striving to increase the accessibility to our data through websites such as Lle and StatsWales. However there is more that can be done to increase the openness and transparency of our data.
There also needs to be greater awareness of the potential opportunities and benefits that open data can provide to the people of Wales, businesses, the public service sector and Welsh Government. Implementation of our Open Data Plan and its commitments should help address these issues.
Ambition
Whilst work is already ongoing in the field of open data within Welsh Government we hope that implementation of this Open Data Plan will raise awareness, consolidate ongoing work and demonstrate Welsh Government’s commitment to open data. The plan will hopefully also provide a practical opportunity to work with and encourage public service organisations to increase their publication and use of open data.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
March 2016 – March 2018
OGP value
Access to information
New or ongoing commitment
New and ongoing
Other actors involved - government
None
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
None
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
Implement commitments outlined within the Welsh Government Open Data Plan
New and ongoing
March 2016
March 2018
Commitment 2: Open data service
Develop an Open Data Service for Wales with a focus on helping improve public services.
Objective
To increase the openness and amount of data about Wales that is published by Welsh Government and other public sector bodies.
Status quo
Only a subset of data about Wales held by Welsh Government and other public sector partners is currently published.
Ambition
Developing an Open Data Service for Wales will increase the accessibility and the amount of data published by Welsh Government and other public sector bodies in Wales. Furthermore making more data openly available will hopefully help improve public services in Wales.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
March 2016 – March 2017
OGP values
Access to information; Technology and innovation
New or ongoing commitment
Ongoing
Other actors involved - government
Welsh Government initiative publishing data for Wales, some of which may emanate from other government departments.
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Users have been involved in the development of the StatsWales site, e.g. providing feedback, and being updated in various user forums. This has included our user group covering the third sector.
We’re working to allow other public sector partners to publish via StatsWales with their own logo. To date only the Welsh Language Commissioner has done so.
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
StatsWales data published in machine readable format
Ongoing
June 2016
Ongoing
StatsWales training material on improvements prepared and delivered
New
November 2016
December 2017
Lle developed to allow users to build their own maps
Ongoing
January 2016
January 2017
Open data catalogue produced
Ongoing
October 2016
December 2016
Commitment 3: StatsWales
Develop StatsWales, the Welsh Government’s online repository for detailed statistical data, to increase its openness rating to 4*.
Objective
To increase the openness and amount of structured data that is published by Welsh Government and other public sector bodies.
Status quo
Only a subset of data about Wales held by Welsh Government and other public sector partners is currently published. Whilst StatsWales publishes structured data openly there is a need to increase its openness rating.
Ambition
Through this commitment we will improve the openness of data published by Welsh Government, enabling our data to be freely shared and used by others.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
March 2016 – December 2017
OGP values
Access to information; Technology & innovation
New or ongoing commitment
New
Other actors involved - government
Welsh Government initiative publishing data for Wales, some of which may emanate from other government departments.
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Users have been involved in the development of the site, e.g. providing feedback, and being updated in various user forums. This has included our user group covering the third sector.
We’re working to allow other public sector partners to publish via StatsWales with their own logo. To date only the Welsh Language Commissioner has done so.
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
StatsWales data published in machine readable format
Ongoing
June 2016
Ongoing
StatsWales guidance and training videos prepared and published
New
November 2016
December 2016
Accreditation of StatsWales carried out successfully
New
September 2016
March 2017
StatsWales training material prepared and delivered
New
November 2016
December 2017
Commitment 4: Administrative Data Research Centre Wales
In partnership with the Administrative Data Research Centre Wales, the Welsh Government will work to ensure that access to government datasets is available in a secure and safe manner for the purposes of academic and public sector research. Furthermore, such access is promoted to maximise the use of such data for research that is published and made available to support better decisions.
Objective
Secure and ethical access to data held by government to accredited academic and public sector researchers in approved safe environments with appropriate controls in place, leading to published research for the public good.
Status quo
To overcome barriers to access to data for academic or public sector research purposes.
Ambition
Through this commitment we will improve the public value of government data by ensuring it is available to use to produce high quality, published, research that will inform public policy and improve the lives of citizens.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
Continuous
OGP value
Access to information
New or ongoing commitment
New
Other actors involved - government
UK Statistics Authority
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Administrative Data Research Centre – Wales (academic partnership); ESRC; Administrative Data Research Network Board
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
Publish further research in partnership with the Administrative Data Research Centre-Wales by the end of the financial year
Ongoing
March 2015
March 2017
Increase the number of public sector datasets available for Welsh researchers through the ADRC-W by the end of the financial year
Ongoing
March 2015
March 2017
Pilot techniques for local authorities to supply data for research in the ADRC-W by the end of the financial year
New
September 2016
March 2017
Commitment 5: Government Social Research Publication Protocol
Welsh Government will continue to publish government research according to the Government Social Research Publication Protocol, with reports pre-announced and published on the ‘Statistics & Research’ pages of the Welsh Government website. Publication of social research reports, according to the GSR publication protocol, is a key part of the Welsh Government Principles for Research and Evaluation.
Objective
To publish research according to the Government Social Research publication protocol.
Status quo
The Government Social Research publication protocol has been adopted to increase the transparency of evidence used by the Welsh Government.
Ambition
Publication of research puts the evidence Government uses in its decisions in the public domain and also provides research findings useful for other public and third sector bodies to inform their own decision making.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government (Social Research and Information Division)
Timeline
While the GSR publication protocol has been in use by Welsh Government since its introduction in 2010, there has been Ministerial commitment to the use of the protocol from March 2014.
OGP values
Access to information; Public accountability
New or ongoing commitment
Ongoing
Other actors involved - government
Welsh Government
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
None
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfill the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
Using the GSR publication protocol for all research publications.
Ongoing
March 2010
Ongoing
Ministerial commitment to use of Government Social Research publication protocol.
Ongoing
March 2014
Ongoing
Commitment 6: Gov.Wales
We will make our information and services easier to find and consume by consolidating our digital content on a new Welsh Government website that is focussed on meeting user needs. The site will include an improved consultation service.
Objective
Build a new GOV.WALES to improve access to Welsh Government information and services
Status quo
The Welsh Government publishes information on more than 150 websites. Information is presented inconsistently and is sometimes duplicated. Users do not know whether they have found all Welsh Government information on a particular issue.
Ambition
GOV.WALES will accommodate practically all Welsh Government information and services, making it easier for users to understand what we do and how we are performing. It will provide a clearer picture of the public sector in Wales, increasing accountability by allowing the public to see and access those bodies that are working on their behalf. The new consultations service will provide a better way for the public to participate in our decision-making process.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
1 April 2015 – 30 June 2019
OGP values
Access to information; Civic participation; Public accountability
New or ongoing commitment
New
Other actors involved - government
None
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Welsh citizens are involved in the testing of the website.
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfill the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
1. Launch beta consultations service, including response forms that users can save
New
July 2016
September 2016
2. Launch beta campaigns platform
New
October 2016
November 2016
3. Launch beta public bodies platform
New
January 2017
March 2017
4. Publish first tranche of beta corporate content
New
October 2016
April 2017
5. Publish remaining corporate content
New
May 2017
June 2019
Commitment 7: Code of Practice for Ethical Employment in Supply Chains
Welsh Government will develop a code for ethical supply chain behaviour, that will ensure awareness and understanding of actions to mitigate against ethical supply chain issues.
Objective
To achieve high levels of sign-up to 12 commitments aimed at promoting the legal and ethical treatment of workers.
Status quo
Unethical and illegal treatment of workers in public sector supply chains.
Ambition
One ambition of this piece of work is to raise awareness of the prevalence of modern slavery in our supply chains and take actions to address areas of high risk.
Another ambition is to raise and level the playing field in Wales so that suppliers that wish to employ workers ethically are not disadvantaged in bidding for public contracts.
A third ambition is to encourage the more widespread adoption of the Living Wage Foundation’s Living Wage (based on the costs of living).
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
March 2016 – early in 2017
OGP value
Public accountability
New or ongoing commitment
New
Other actors involved - government
Public sector organisations in Wales
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Businesses and third sector organisations in Wales.
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
1. First draft completed and introduced at Procurex
New
March 2016
September 2016
2. Task and Finish Group established and first meeting set-up
New
October 2016
November 2016
3. Engagement with business and third sector
New
October 2016
Early 2017
4. Ethical supply chain code launch
New
Early in 2017
Early 2017
5. Sign-up
New
Ongoing
Ongoing
Commitment 8: Well-being of Future Generations Act – National Indicators for Wales
To measure progress towards the achievement of the seven well- being goals for Wales set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and report on them annually.
Objective
In order to improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales the Welsh Government has developed a set of National Indicators to measure progress against the 7 well-being goals outlined in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. In doing so an open and transparent approach is being taken in the development and communication of the National Indicators and the data that underpins them.
Status quo
Measuring national progress against the seven well-being goals for Wales set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
Ambition
If we are to collectively achieve the seven well-being goals set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, we need a way of measuring, at a national level, what progress is being made. The 46 National Indicators for Wales are intended to measure progress against the seven well-being goals and have been prepared following public consultation. They will be reported on annually through a ‘Well-being Report for Wales’.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
March 2016 – early in 2017
OGP value
Access to information
New or ongoing commitment
New
Other actors involved - government
Specified public bodies under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Auditor General for Wales
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
1. Lay the ‘National Indicators for Wales’ before the National Assembly for Wales.
Ongoing
April 2015
March 2016
2. Produce the first Annual Well-being Report for Wales
Ongoing
April 2016
Summer 2017
Commitment 9: Well-being duty on specified public bodies in Wales
All public bodies, listed in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, have a duty to set and publish well-being objectives that outline how they will contribute to achieving each of the well-being goals and take reasonable steps to meet those objectives.
Objective
Requiring public bodies to do things in pursuit of the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales in a way that accords with the sustainable development principle; to require public bodies to report on such action.
Status quo
A more consistent approach to the well-being of Wales throughout the Welsh public sector.
Ambition
It will place a legal duty on specified public bodies to take account of the importance of involving people that reflect the diversity of the population in their decision making.
Lead implementing organisation
Welsh Government
Timeline
April 2016 onwards
OGP value
Civic participation
New or ongoing commitment
New legislative commitment under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
Other actors involved - government
The 43 Specified public bodies under the Act
Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Auditor General for Wales
Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the commitment
New or ongoing commitment
Start Date
End Date
1. Legal duty comes into force
New legal commitment
April 2016
April 2016
2. Public Bodies publish their first wellbeing objectives
New
April 2016
April 2017
3. Public Service Boards - Assessment of local wellbeing
New
April 2016
May 2017
For further information please visit the Welsh Government webpages