Government launch call for evidence to be geospatial world leader

15 Aug 2018 03:15 PM

Sector and beyond urged to take part and share views on geospatial future vision, as part of a call for evidence launched today.

The government is urging the UK’s geospatial sector and beyond to take part and share views on their future vision, as part of its call for evidence launched today.

The creation of the Geospatial Commission was announced in November 2017, to maximise the value of data linked to location, which could generate £11 billion a year.

By using location data, geospatial technology is transforming services across the private and public sectors to contribute to the #SmarterGov Government campaign, which helps deliver wider economic growth and productivity. From emergency services, transport planning, and 5G networks, to housing, smarter cities and drones - the UK’s geospatial infrastructure has the potential to revolutionise the UK’s economy.

The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, David Lidington, said,

The data revolution is changing the way we see the world and the way we live our lives - and this government is determined to make the most of the opportunities it presents.

The launch of today’s call for evidence is another key milestone in the Geospatial Commission’s exciting journey. We want to hear how the use of geospatial data can support economic growth and productivity across the United Kingdom, while transforming how public services are delivered.

This is crucial in helping to inform the UK’s first ever Geospatial Strategy, which the Government will launch next year.

Call for evidence document

The call for evidence document is linked to below:

Geospatial Commission: call for evidence 2018 (PDF, 1.76MB, 40 pages)

Call for evidence questionnaire

The call for evidence questionnaire is linked to below in various formats:

Geospatial Commission response questionnaire (odt) (ODT, 18.9KB)

Geospatial Commission response questionnaire (docx) (MS Word Document, 30.3KB)

Geospatial Commission response questionnaire (pdf) (PDF, 88.9KB, 9 pages)

Initial analysis

This document sets out the initial high-level analysis which contributed to the Government’s announcement of the creation of a Geospatial Commission in the 2017 Autumn Budget:

Initial Analysis of the Potential Geospatial Economic Opportunity (PDF, 453KB, 18 pages)

Notes to editors

Geospatial Commission

The Geospatial Commission is an impartial expert committee within the Cabinet Office, supported by £40 million of new funding in each of the next two years, and will drive the move to use public and private sector geospatial data more productively. Research estimates that this could contribute up to £11 billion of extra value for the economy every year. The Geospatial Commission is due to publish its first annual plan next Spring.

Further details on the Geospatial Commission can be found in this press release: Chancellor to unlock hidden value of government data

Partner bodies

The Geospatial Commission has 6 partner bodies. These are: