Archives: The National Archives of UK to produce online Digital Domesday listing public datasets

The Prime Minister of the UK has announced that the National Archives would lead a programme to create an online Digital Domesday book, which will list central government datasets, by autumn this year. The plan formed part of an announcement on Building Britain's Digital Future.

The online book will provide an inventory of non-personal datasets held by departments and 'arms-length' bodies.

Thus the UK’s Department for Transport is going to release main data bases, containing important information on names and location of all 350.000 bus stops, railway stations and airports of the UK. Soon information about transport timetables and its work will be freely available. Companies and individuals will be free to place this public information on their websites and use it on the web or mobile applications.

Oliver Morley, Acting Chief Executive of The National Archives, said: 'The National Archives cares about preserving and making accessible public information, but this is not limited to its paper records. We are at the forefront of government information management. We have already led and developed significant ongoing programmes ensuring the continuity of digital information so it is preserved for posterity and accessible even after technology moves on.

Following the first edition of the new Domesday Book, the government will produce a proposal on how to extend this work to the wider public sector.