# NEW REPORT: Gaps in government data

**URL:** <https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/new-report-gaps-in-government-data/597>\
**Category:** UK Open Government Network\
**Created:** [21 September 2018 09:22 UTC](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/new-report-gaps-in-government-data/597 "2018-09-21T09:22:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gavin\_Freeguard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gavin\_Freeguard](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/u/Gavin_Freeguard)\
**Post date:** [21 September 2018 09:22 UTC](https://discuss.opengovernment.org.uk/t/new-report-gaps-in-government-data/597/1 "2018-09-21T09:22:32Z")

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Good morning,

Today we - the Institute for Government - have published a new report, [‘Gaps in government data: five things the UK Government should publish’](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/gaps-government-data).

We argue that high quality data matters for both government effectiveness and for accountability, and - despite the progress made by the UK in the last decade and its status as a world leader - serious gaps remain. We suggest five such gaps that should be filled:

- A list of all the datasets that government departments are responsible for producing
- More comprehensible data on government spending, including better annual accounts from government departments
- Better outsourcing data (starting with a list of all government suppliers, and a list of all public sector contracts, using open identifiers)
- More comprehensive performance data on public services (for example, better data on police activity, GP consultations and roads)
- Better data on the public sector workforce, specifically turnover and socio-economic diversity.

We’ll be returning to these themes - not least in [Whitehall Monitor](https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-work/whitehall-monitor/) 2019 and in a comment we’ll publish later on the Institute for Government website (which argues the forthcoming National Data Strategy is an opportunity to solve a lot of the existing problems and set ambitions for the future of government data).

Any feedback very welcome.

Many thanks, and very best

Gavin