Unlocking the Value of Scotland's Public Sector Personal Data
Guest blog from the Scottish Government UVOD Team.
The Unlocking the Value of Data programme has been building momentum since its inception in March this year.
This citizen-centred programme aims to unlock the value of Scotland’s public sector personal data, when used with or by the private sector, for public benefit.
A commitment to unlocking the value of Scotland’s data is foundational to Scotland’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy and to the innovative deployment of AI and other data technologies.
Improving public services
An Independent Expert Group is overseeing the development of evidence-based high-level principles that will guide and support public sector partners to safely share data with the private sector, to deliver social and economic benefits for the people of Scotland.
As we know, data provided by the public plays a vital role in improving our public services, in creating opportunities for business innovation and in driving our green economic recovery from Covid. While there are many potential benefits of responsible data sharing - and the legal responsibility to ensure that personal data is protected is paramount - this programme recognises and addresses public concerns about privacy and technology misuse.
Ethical Data Use
Ethical data use and the protection of privacy as well as public involvement are therefore central to this programme. Scotland’s public sector personal data use must not only be legally compliant and ethically sound, but also command the trust and confidence of the public.
An ‘Open Government’ and citizen-centred approach will be shaped by meaningful public engagement and ongoing collaboration with our partners and stakeholders. This will be key to realising greater public benefit through the sharing of personal data safely and securely.
Independent Expert Group
Over the summer, members of the Independent Expert Group have been working on a first draft of high-level principles to guide decision-making by data controllers in the Scottish public sector. These will be further developed in collaboration with citizens and stakeholders.
If you are interested, you can find out more about the preliminary Draft Guiding Principles, and contribute to their development, at an upcoming webinar for data practitioners and the general public, on 1 September 2022.
This will be the first of several opportunities for data practitioners, and the wider public, to participate in a citizen-centred process of engagement.
You can register for the webinar on Eventbrite.
If you have views on these principles, you can send feedback to the IEG Chair, Professor Angela Daly directly at ADaly001@dundee.ac.uk.
You can find out more about the Unlocking the Value of Data programme on the Scottish Government’s website.
There are also a number of blog posts on the UVOD Programme:
Blog #1 by Professor Angela Daly (IEG Chair)
Blog #2 by Dr. Annie Sorbie (IEG member)
Blog #3 by Dr. Esperanza Miyake (IEG member)
Blog #4 by Professor Angela Daly (IEG Chair)
