Friday Lunchtime Lecture: Open wide: how Freedom of Information and open data can work together

Both the Freedom of Information (FOI) and open data schemes are well established but they don’t always work together to achieve a common aim of making information more accessible. Matt Burgess will examine how FOI and open data can be combined to enhance the UK’s openness. Drawing on real-world examples, he will suggest how those promoting transparency can identify ways of encouraging more important information to be published. Matt Burgess is a journalist and author, who has a special interest in the Freedom of Information Act. He has written the book, Freedom of Information: A Practical Guide for Journalists, and runs the FOI Directory website.