[The UK] Office of Fair Trading...has just published its...report into the commercial use of public sector information.
And it thinks there should be more, and that there should be less competition from the public sector information holders (PSIHs).
The key comment comes from John Fingleton, OFT Chief Executive, who said:
‘This is ground-breaking work for the OFT, looking at hidden markets in the economy. These monopoly public sector bodies cost the UK economy £500 million in lost opportunities. Our recommendations will help to make this valuable public asset more easily available for commercial uses which will benefit the economy and consumers.’
£500 million? The taxes on that would easily cover the £50 million in private sector funds that the Ordnance Survey needs, wouldn’t it? ...
Update. Michael Cross has more details on this OFT report in the December 14, 2006, issue of The Guardian.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 12/08/2006 11:40:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
