In order to achieve these missions, DP must build upon the research and evidence that informs its knowledge base and underpins its policies. Below articulates the directorate’s critical policy issues and questions identified in response to the NDS missions. Key focus areas include defining and monitoring the data ecosystem and economy, generating evidence for intervention and understanding the impacts of policies.
DSIT is committed to improving data sharing. The NDS Mission 1 Policy Framework outlines the principles for intervention and priority areas for action for unlocking data value. Addressing the barriers to optimal data use and reuse is an important area of interest.
The government has held a consultation on reforms to the UK’s data protection regime. The approach for data protection change is set out in the documentation for a new data direction. DP is working to ensure that UK GDPR, the ICO and other parts of the data protection regime are fit for purpose. Evidence relating to privacy and trust in data and data use and the impacts of data regulation would help to address some of the directorate’s key questions.
DP wants to broaden its understanding of data infrastructure and strengthen its evidence base on data centres, cyber security and resilience. The environmental impacts of data use is a key area of research interest.
It is important to advance our knowledge of international data flows and how they shape and influence the global data system. Addressing the evidence gap on the value of data flows as well as the volume of data is of key interest.
If you are keen to register your interest in working and connecting with DSIT Digital Technology and Telecoms Group and/or submitting evidence, then please complete the DSIT-ARI Evidence survey - https://dsit.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDfmK2OukVAnirs.
Please view full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology-areas-of-research-interest/dsit-areas-of-research-interest-2024
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
The Open Data Initiative (ODI) demonstrates that there is a growing ambition from government to publish internal data as open data sets. (See https://data.gov.uk). Data custodians, particularly large governmental organis...
Funded by: EPSRC
Lead research organisation: Swansea University
Partially relevant as it addresses data release and privacy, but not specifically the barriers to accessing public sector data.
The UK Data Service will provide an easy to use, trusted, one-stop shop for * owners of data which have potential for re-use for social and economic research * users of these types of data Users are expected to come t...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Essex
Partially relevant as it focuses on data sharing and access, but not specifically on barriers to accessing public sector data.
Much data kept by public organisations such as Government departments contains sensitive data about UK citizens and businesses. Since the Digital Economy Act 2017, progress has been made to enable accredited researchers ...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Edinburgh
Partially relevant as it addresses barriers to accessing public sector data but focuses on federated sensitive data.