The Future is Open: Open Government and Data Transparency

Major Policy Summit, 17 October 2012

08.30 – 13.30pm

In September 2012, the UK and Indonesia will take up the co-Chairmanship of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), an initiative designed to promote more transparent, effective and accountable government in 57 member states around the world. This Reform-OGP conference represents a perfect opportunity to bring together leading stakeholders to discuss progress towards more open government, both in the UK and internationally, and the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The event is being held in partnership with PA Consulting. The audience will bring together around 150 policymakers and officials from across government, stakeholders from the OGP, leading businesses and civil society.

Full Agenda

08.30   Breakfast

09.00   Welcome and introduction

Nick Seddon, Deputy Director, Reform

09.15  Keynote speech by Rt Hon Francis Maude MP

Chaired by Nick Seddon, Deputy Director, Reform

The Minister of State for the Cabinet Office will outline the Government’s agenda on open government and the UK’s plans for the Open Government Partnership.

09.45 The Open Government Partnership: Promoting transparent, effective and accountable government

A panel debate chaired by Nick Seddon, Deputy Director, Reform

The Open Government Partnership has just celebrated its first year’s anniversary. Openness and participation can transform how citizens live their lives and hold their governments to account. Open Government is a powerful enabler of prosperity - both in terms of economic development and social wellbeing. As co-chair, the UK support developed and developing countries alike to build their capacity for Open Government. The Government has published and is consulting on its vision for the year ahead. This session will explore with the panellists the UK Government’s and Civil Society’s roles and priorities and consider the value of linking up the OGP to other international initiatives.

• Tim Kelsey, National Director for Patients and Information, NHS
Commissioning Board
• Martin Tisné, Director, Policy, Omidyar Network, and Member, Open Government Partnership Steering Committee
• Jamie Drummond, Executive Director, ONE
• Michael Anderson, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on the Post-2015 Development Goals

10.45  Coffee

11.15  Data-driven services: Open data and public service reform

A panel session chaired by Thomas Cawston, Research Director, Reform

Last year, the Government set out its determination to have “the most ambitious open data strategy of any government in the world”. At the heart of this ambition is the recognition that open data has the potential to transform public service effectiveness and efficiency. This session will explore how open data can transform public services; by improving accountability and choice, increase public sector productivity and drive quality of outcomes.

• Dr Rufus Pollock, Co-Founder and Director, Open Knowledge Foundation
• Dr Stephen Dunn, Director of Strategy and Policy, NHS Midlands and East
• Tom Steinberg, Founder, MySociety
• Colm Reilly, Partner, PA Consulting

12.15  An open recovery? Fostering business and enterprise through transparency

A panel session chaired by Will Tanner, Researcher, Reform

In April 2012, the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, proclaimed that data is “the raw material of the 21st Century”, arguing that public sector data remains an under-analysed and under-exploited resource for businesses and entrepreneurs in the UK and more widely. This session will explore the economic value for public data and discuss the best ways to make a prosperous digital economy a reality.

• Professor Nigel Shadbolt, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, University of Southampton, and Chairman and Co-Founder, Open Data Institute
• Damian Kimmelman, Founder and Chief Executive, Duedil
• Dr Hakim Yadi, Chief Operating Officer, Life Sciences Investment Organisation
• Ben Southworth, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Tech City Investment
• Bindi Karia, VC/Emerging Business Lead, Microsoft UK

13.15  Closing remarks

Nick Seddon, Deputy Director, Reform, and Colm Reilly, Partner, PA Consulting

13.30  Lunch