[open-sustainability] Research publication – UK Open Governance Scorecard (Transparency International UK)

[Nick Maxwell]

Carlos Somohano
Data Science London

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Open Governance Scorecard<http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/publications/15-publications/1239-how-open-is-the-uk-government> results for the UK, compiled by Transparency International UK. The final report has now been published and is available to download here<http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/publications/15-publications/1239-how-open-is-the-uk-government>.

The UK - in addition to Ghana, Indonesia, Peru, and Ukraine - have piloted this new scorecard methodology covering three pillars of open governance: Transparency, Participation and Oversight.

We would welcome comments on any aspect of the report. Such feedback will help inform the development of a global roll out of the methodology, so please do get in touch if you have any comment.

How open is the UK Government?

The UK Open Governance Scorecard<http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/publications/15-publications/1239-how-open-is-the-uk-government> provides a comprehensive review of the UK’s legal framework for transparency, participation and oversight. Critically it also indicates how the system is working in practice.

The research identifies gaps and issues of concern across:


·         Freedom of Information Act implementation

·         Open data

·         Consultation practices in the UK

·         Codes of conduct regimes

·         The oversight of private companies carrying out public services

·         Whistleblowing

This scorecard builds on the ‘in-law’ scorecard<http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/publications/15-publications/894-open-governance-pilot-scorecard-uk-results-pdf>, published by TI-UK in March 2014, with an ‘in-practice’ assessment. Together, the report tests the UK against 459 research questions, across 35 standards of open governance. The result is a comprehensive view of strengths and weaknesses in the UK and allows stakeholders to identify particular issues of concern.

The three key recommendations of the report are to:


  1.  Empower an open data authority to maintain standards of proactive disclosure across the public sector, with a mandate also covering public services that are outsourced to the private sector, and enable a monitoring and sanctions regime to deliver high and consistent standards.


  1.  Reinstate a consistent code of consultation for public sector authorities, in particular providing a minimum time period for consultation.


  1.  Seek to harmonise the multitude of ethical codes of conduct across the public sector and ensure that registers of interest and gifts and hospitality declarations are published as open data, enabling comparability and accountability.

Download the full dataset which forms the basis of the Scorecard report, including all source references and research commentary – here<http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/publications/15-publications/1237-uk-open-governance-scorecard-results-excel>

Download a methodology description – here<http://www.transparency.org.uk/our-work/publications/15-publications/1238-uk-open-governance-scorecard-methodology-description>


Nick Maxwell
Head of Research

Transparency International UK
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