A government-sponsored review on public sector data has begun work and is expected to report back in the widening access to Spring of 2013.

The comprehensive review, which was announced in the Open Data White Paper, will improve access to data and help promote economic growth by examining the market for public sector information.
At the end of the review, recommendations will be made to Ministers on how to widen access and consider new and innovative opportunities for open data. In particular, the review will look at the following areas:

• the current use of public sector information within government, the private sector and by the general public;
• the opportunities for innovation and developing new data services with public sector information;
• the constraints on developing new services with public sector information and the role that current funding models play;
• he impact of competitiveness on existing and new businesses entering the market, as well as the way in which organisations secure access to data; and
• an audit of current and past studies, as well as taking stock of the current use and re-use of public sector information.

For more information on the review please see the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announcement