Information monopolies cost UK £500m

Thursday, 07, Dec 2006 12:00

The lack of competition in weather, mapping and other information services provided by the public sector is costing the UK half a billion pounds per year.

That is the finding of a new report by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which says information compiled by bodies such as the UK Hydrographic Office and Ordnance Survey is not being made as easily available to UK businesses as it should be.

The Driving Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency were also named in the report, which cites restrictive licensing arrangements and prices not always linked to costs as factors driving up the costs of accessing this information to businesses.

"These monopoly public sector bodies cost the UK economy £500 million in lost opportunities," said OFT chief executive John Fingleton.

The watchdog is urging public bodies to make as much public sector information available for commercial use as possible.