[wsfii-discuss] Free Our Data

Tue Jul 11 11:09:55 UTC 2006

Dear all

If anyone is in London on the 17th and would like to attend this debate at
the RSA, let me know.

Cheers
Rachel

--

FREE OUR DATA

"Should Public Sector Information be available to all for the cost of
reproduction?"

I am writing to invite you to attend an event hosted jointly by the RSA and
The Guardian's 'Free Our Data' campaign on access to public sector
information.
The debate, followed by a drinks reception, will be held at the RSA, 8 John
Adam Street, London on Monday 17 July at 6pm.

Government-funded and approved agencies such as the Ordnance Survey, UK
Hydrographic Office and Highways Agency collect data using public funds, and
charge users and companies for access to it. The 'Free Our data' campaign
and the RSA believe that making that data available for free - rather as
commercial companies such as Amazon and Google do with their catalogue and
maps data - would vastly increase creative and economic activity. This would
thereby create more revenue for the Government in the long term.
The Guardian and the RSA are considered voices in the debate around
intellectual property rights. The debate should attract a large number of
interested stakeholders, such as Government officials, politicians,
journalists, people from industry and RSA Fellows. 

The format of the event will be a debate between 6-7.30pm, with the drinks
reception 7.30pm-8pm. 
Derek Wyatt MP, Chairman of the All-Party Group on the Internet, will chair
the debate. 
The speakers will be:
Charles Arthur, Technology Editor, The Guardian; 
Paul Crake, Programme Director of the RSA; 
Carol Tullo, Director, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) and
Controller of HMSO and Queen's Printer; 
Ed Parsons, Chief Technology Officer, Ordnance Survey; and 
David Vaver, Director of the Oxford University IP research centre 

I do hope you can join us for what promises to be a lively and informative
debate. If you would like to attend, please reply by return email or call
020 7451 6840.

We look forward to welcoming you to the RSA in July.

Mairi Ryan
Assistant Programme Manager, RSA Lectures
RSA, 8 John Adam Street
London WC2N 6EZ
+44 (0)20 7451 6840
http://www.theRSA.org <http://www.thersa.org/> 

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> 

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