The report Achieving optimal value from publicly funded marine information resources prepared by the UK Marine Information Council Working Group on Data Access and was published in 2003.

Contents of the Report (23 pages)

Executive summary 1. Introduction 2. The legislative and policy framework 3. Sales of publicly funded marine data 4. The economic argument 5. Conclusions References

Appendix A: UK Marine Information Council ñ composition and terms of reference Appendix B: UK Marine Information Council ñ terms of reference for the UKMIC Data Access Working GroupAppendix C: A simple screening model by Gavin Cameron and Chris Wallace. Paper commissioned by the UKMIC Data Access Working Group, October 2001

UKMIC report source

MIA report source

The Marine Information Alliance

The Marine Information Alliance (MIA) is a partnering of the public and private sector with the objective of realising the societal and business benefits of sustained observation, monitoring and forecasting of the marine environment. The MIA was launched on 6 Mach 2006 and was previously named the UK Marine Information Council. (UKMIC).

The mission of MIA

“The mission of the MIA is to advance cooperation between public, private and academic organisations in support of integrated and sustained marine observation, monitoring and forecasting.”

Executive Summary

"This paper was prepared with the objective of determining whether the UK achieves optimal value from secondary use of marine data and information obtained using public funds.

To address this question the paper considers the UK policy framework, proceeds from the sale of publicly funded marine data and the likely impact of different pricing regimes on take up and use for commercial purposes.

Recent European legislation demands that all environmental information should be freely available to the general public. This framework mandates the UK to create the infrastructure and tools that permit such access. Despite this policy framework a number of UK public sector organizations continue to differentiate between public and commercial use. Where data or information is to be used commercially a charge in excess of marginal cost is levied.

The revenue generated from such sales is a small proportion (less than 1%) of the operating costs of public sector organisations involved with marine data and information. The low level of revenue from commercial sales indicates that there is either a very low demand for the information they hold or that present pricing policies severely inhibit take up by potential commercial users.

A simple economic screening model has been used to determine the impact of different pricing regimes on commercial use of publicly funded data. The conclusion of this economic modeling is that marginal cost availability would enhance secondary use by UK commercial companies. This greater use would generate corporation tax revenue (from increased corporate profits) exceeding the existing revenue generated by public sector bodies.

The overall consequences of the recommended move to marginal cost pricing, in conjunction with adequate funding for public sector bodies, is increased revenue to the Treasury, through increased competitiveness of the UK marine sector both in the UK and overseas, and more effective maintenance of data and information in the interest of future public good.

The UK Marine Information Council Working Group on Data Access strongly supports present Government moves towards marginal cost access to publicly funded data and recommends that this policy should extend to all marine information funded from tax revenue. It further strongly supports better funding of data and information custodianship."