Across the Board

How e-citizens deal with e-government; constitutional and technical protection from e-government. Technologies that change the game, like biometrics and ID cards.

12 Mar 2008

Freedom of Information & Email Addresses Thoughts

As some people may have noticed, mySociety have recently launched another website. This one, WhatDoTheyKnow is a Freedom of Information filer, I’ll let you read the blurb on the site about how it works…

My efforts on this have mainly being collecting contact details for the ever-growing list of public bodies, to whom the Freedom of Information Act (and the supplementary orders, adding in new ones) applies.

Earlier on, I had a brain-fart. It went along the lines of:

what if there were a standard/Government Best-Practice/regulation, throughout the Civil Service (and anything on the {.ac,.gov,.mod,.nhs,.police,.sch}.uk LIR, really), for common ‘service’ email addresses.

e.g., in the way that RFC-2142 mandates (well, as much as RFCs are mandatory) “postmaster” and “hostmaster” to include:

“foi” for Freedom of Information
“dpa” for data protection
“secretary.of.state”
“ministers”
“permanent.secretary”

Or suitable alternatives/equivalents for the last three.

In doing so, things for individuals would (I’d say) be so much more useful: using aliases would remove the problems of individuals’ email addresses falling out of use, when people move on/change portfolio, it would enable people to not have to worry about looking for the email address on the webpage (where they are easily traceable on the body’s website...), it means reception desks can say “ah yes, you want foi@werock.gov.uk” and not “erm, I’m not sure, let me transfer you to IT/Legal Services, they might know”.

Perhaps even extend this over to constituency.mp@parliament.uk?

So, I guess the point of this post really is for a collective opinion gathering… hopefully it’ll be something for some of us to talk about at the next Govhack Afternoon Teas too?

(ooh, is that three plugs I managed to squeeze in?)

Posted by Adam McGreggor on 12/03/08 at 12:18am
Categories · "What do we want?" · Political engagement · Across the Board
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13 Jan 2008

Reality overtakes parody: examples

How I wish it were 1 April, but it’s not. Three jaw-dropping news items today, as parody becomes reality faster than we can make it up…

Unfold and continue reading...

The US Court of Appeal has confirmed airlines can chuck you off a plane for the crime of trying to fly while appearing to be Asian (after a man of Portuguese extraction had a polite conversation with the pilot, wanted to sit by the emergency exit, and waschucked off a plane - see Boston Globe report)

Since chip implants work so well on dogs the Ministry of Justice, encouraged by Acpo, favours trying to put RFID tags into prisoners and monitoring them by satellite (Independent).

Finally, before the full intrusive folly of the electronic Common Assessment Framework (eCAF) for children has become apparent the crazed “Cab in a Toffice” wants to extend this surveillance to the whole family:

For individuals with multiple needs, an overarching assessment should bring together pieces of information that would otherwise be scattered across the system. Frontline practitioners should build on this knowledge base when reviewing progress or designing support. This assessment process should build on progress made through the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for children and young people, implemented as part of the Every Child Matters agenda. The CAF provides a shared and holistic assessment for children and young people with additional needs. It takes account of family risk factors and can therefore also help to identify and direct support towards the unmet needs of other family members – a parent’s learning disability, or an older sibling’s substance misuse, for example.

(these last two items thanks to FIPR Alerts).

I’d love it if these were all absurd hoaxes, but I fear not. After a burst of disasters based on a toxic blend of arrogance and ignorance, the tribe has gone completely mad. There’s no sense in implementing policies which make everyne hate the police and prison officers or clam up with the GP or teacher they despreately need to talk to about personal problems. Human dignity isn’t incidental to government: it’s the underlying purpose.

Public servants should listen. Needy people are uncomplicated and articulate about what their needs are. Government should remember at all times, however clever it feels, that it is the servant not the master. While you’re at it stop bloody photographing us. As the philanderer Boris Johnson says in Taking Liberties, just butt out of it.

Please join me in letting off steam. For sanity and moral support you can turn to:
- Liberty for most things
- Action on Rights for Children (Arch) re children’s database matters
- FIPR on children’s databases and chips
- Caspian’s antichip site.

Wrap up...

Posted by William Heath on 13/01/08 at 11:35pm
Categories · "What do we want?" · Foundation of Trust · Political engagement · Across the Board
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11 Dec 2007

Public Sector m-commerce

The forthcoming trial of the mobile phone Oyster could signal the emergence of m-commerce in the Public sector.

As UK citizens are becoming more accustomed to cash-less payment systems like “chip and pin” and combined Oyster and credit cards, the market for m-commerce may be ripe. From a public sector perspective, authorities and particularly local authorities may consider providing the mobile option for instance to pay for leisure centres, library books and videos; also payment for parking, car tax, council tax , congestion charge and so on.

In fact mobile phone payment could be taking a large share of the addressable market for smartcards and online payment services. One of the big advantages would be that it provides an electronic option for people, and there is a significant number, who do not have a computer but do have a mobile phone.

By the way, what’s going on with that mollusc?

· Oyster is contactless
· Oyster has gone e-purse
· Oyster is going mobile
· Oyster auto tops-up: Oyster cards are automatically topped-up whenever the balance falls below £5.
· Oyster iTunes: Auto top-up account will be given a one-off opportunity to download up to five free songs on iTunes
· Oyster eBay: TfL is said to be discussing with eBay to use Oyster cards as an alternative payment option
· Oyster Olympics: TfL is said to be discussing with the ODA the potential for using Oyster

I don’t quite know what direction TfL is taking but all this certainly demonstrates an unusual drive for innovation, for a PS organisation. One thing though, Oyster is not ITSO compliant. This could make it difficult to extend the use of the card to other parts of the country, and forget about using it overseas.

Posted by Philippe on 11/12/07 at 10:14am
Categories · Across the Board
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20 Jun 2007

Would abolishing poltiical parties help sort-out contentious political issues?

A thought (that I’ve been advocating for the best part of 15years) struck me, again, last night whilst listening to a Hansard Society Debate (the panelists were Sir George Young, Bart.; Polly Toynbee (The Guardian); Andrew Hawkins (CommunicateResearch); and Phil Cowley (Univ. of Nottingham))

It’s an idea which, if implemented would solve the issues that cause concern and disagreement amidst the Political Watchers — a solution to Party Funding, puts more strength in the Legislature, makes Bills (and perhaps, even secondary legislation!) more difficult to get through on the nod, gives Back-Benchers power, puts (potential) Members in touch with their constituents (if they want to get elected, they’ll have to work to it; and end to the ‘Pigs in a pram with the right colored rosette’ affair), and allows politicians to represent their constituents’ views/ending the secretive Whipping system, stops ‘Celebrity MPs’ being pimped out to schmooze for Party funds: I’m talking about the idea to abolish political parties. Surprisingly, at a debate attended by interested parties (in Constitutional issues), it wasn’t towards the end where “parties” were actually mentioned (from memory, it was the last idea thrown to the audience).

Of course, this isn’t a be-all and end-all solution to all of the Constitutional Issues that have been mooted, but it would end the farce of trying to reach a decision on Lords Reform, Funding of Parties, a (new) Bill of Rights; perhaps even control Patronage/Sleaze.

(lots of other interesting bits at this debate, too).

It would take a brave Party-politician to develop this subject further, maybe it’s time for a TheyWorkForYou alert…

Posted by Adam McGreggor on 20/06/07 at 2:02pm
Categories · Political engagement · Across the Board
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15 Oct 2006

China: can we be frank about the role of the awkward squad

Among the articles prohibited from importation in accordance with the law of the People’s Republic of China are

Printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, tapes (audio and video), compact discs etc which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and moral interests of China

I guess that rules out most Hollywood movies, and much rubbish music - Madonna, Bee Gees, Neil Diamond - all highly detrimental to any nation’s cultural values I’d have thought. Wow. Heaven knows what Googling gigabytes of music are on my laptop - presumably there wont be any problem at Customs me having the odd Shirley Horn track, Hendrix or Basie...I think there’s some Steppenwolf too. All most invigorating for anyone’s cultural and moral interests. It also says you cant bring in opium (not an issue for me - anyway I guess they already have in copious quantities) marijuana or other psychotropic subtances. Vegas this is not.

The Chinese government is committed in its present five-year plan to the creation of social innovation which depends on a vigorous NGO sector. The British Council, who know the form here, are unequivocal:

Stick to safe conversation topics...do not criticise China...avoid ridiculing your own organisation or British standards, even in a light-hearted manner. This is regarded as disloyal in China and will reflect badly on you

Fair enough, but it begs a question that goes to the heart of how we do what we do here. It’s not “can I manage not to be critical for two days”, but rather how, in a frank and helpful cultural exchange, do we explain that the focus and energy of Britain’s social innovation stems not from enlightened five-year plans but from dissatisfaction with the status quo which finds no outlet? Social change comes from the awkward squad, from exclused and marginalised or on their behalf. Can we explain the disproportionate role played in the history of social innovation in Britain of Quaker discernment and concerns, and the business method which upholds those acting under concern?

I don’t know. But the food here is terrific.

Posted by William Heath on 15/10/06 at 4:59pm
Categories · "What do we want?" · Across the Board

Permalink

03 Jul 2006

An easy efficiency gain: stop government-sponsored arms sales

I don’t think government should help sell more weapons - it should invest everything in peace. Clearly a government that helps sell weapons to regimes with dodgy human rights records is far from ideal. So here’s an excellent Gershon-agenda objective: shut the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO).

Unfold and continue reading...

Here’s how DESO sees itself:

Our Mission: through export success, to make the maximum contribution to defence objectives.
Our Vision: a DESO highly regarded by overseas Governments, exporters and MoD alike.
Our tasks:
* Giving assistance to company-led marketing campaigns, by way of:
o Nurturing relations with key decision-makers in overseas Governments;
o Harnessing other parts of MoD, the Armed Forces and Whitehall to support industry’s efforts;
o Negotiating and supporting Government-to-Government agreements;
* Supporting MoD’s defence diplomacy efforts
* Advising DTI and Industry on export licence applications; and
* Making sure that Government policy on defence exports is reflected in MoD’s work on acquisition and other policies and activities; and vice-versa.
Our Key Values
- Complete integrity.
- A proactive and positive ‘can do’ philosophy at all times.
- Maximum teamwork.
- Clear objectives and priorities.
- A responsive and efficient service to all our customers.

The Campaign against the arms trade (CAAT) says 75% of UK arms exports would not happen without DESO, and that DESO appears unconcerned about the conflicts it is fuelling. Also that 200 civil servants are working on selling arms to Saudi Arabia (have we gone completely nuts?) CAAT sounds like a marginalised bunch of people who get bullied when they protest at arms fairs. But it’s quite clear that what they’re doing is both ethical and wise (and they’re entirely non-violent). So let us hope that in due course their stance will be mainstream and the norm, and that we will all reflect with the same sort of shame on the arms trade as we have for some time on the slave trade.

CAAT campaign aims include to shut DESO and close the revolving door

Wibbi:

1. CAAT won (probably by persuading the Tories, tho that seems a long shot even for Cameron) and DESO was abolished. It would then be as “efficient” as the famous hospital-with-no-patients in Yes Minister. Better, in fact because as well as 100% reduction in manpower and other costs it would stop doing harm as well as saving £17m a year.

2. Or, if the 500 staff insist on doing something similar Wibbi we had a DESO that saw its aims more like:

Our Mission: based on a clearer vision of the world’s priorities, to contribute to world safety based on long-term peace and better understanding of long-term threats such as imminent climate chaos.
Our Vision: a DESO which people in Britain can take pride in (as well as highly regarded by overseas Governments, exporters, MoD etc).
Our tasks:
* Letting companies get on with it
o Putting away our nurturing man-breasts
o Not harnessing anything really
o Engaging good science and technology with world safety issues via commerce
* Letting the FCO DfID and NGOs do the diplomacy and make friends overseas
Our Key Values
- Integrity that takes into account the consequences of our action, and not the phoney integrity that one can get away with a “key values” statement (which just means “we dont give or take bribes really”, and even that sounds a little optimistic: how can you be involved in the international arms trade and not deal with corrupt people?)
- Wisdom and a desire to do the right thing instead of waffle about “proactive and positive ‘can do’ philosophy”.
- A responsible and efficient service which helps everyone and does not screw the innocent victims of repressive regimes.

Hey, I feel a consultancy contract coming on…

CAAT relies entirely on voluntary contributions - you can support it at www.caat.org.uk . Remember - closing DESO is efficient as well as good!

Wrap up...

Posted by William Heath on 03/07/06 at 9:35am
Categories · "What do we want?" · Across the Board
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19 Sep 2005

Are politicians scared of e-democracy?

“Decisions are made by the people who turn up.”

I’m not sure where the quote originated, but I first heard it from Martin Sheen on ‘West Wing’. He was telling a group of students that if they wanted to have an influence on politics they had to get off their butts and take part in the meetings.

You can spread the same message in any democratic society, but for most of us the reality is more than a few well intentioned words. For a start, a lot of us struggle to make meetings that begin early in the evening; working hours and awkward journeys place them out of our reach. For those who can escape work in time, it invariably means dragging yourself across town to a draughty meeting room and going without dinner. Then you spend two or three hours enduring the words of pedantic busybodies and long winded idealogues who are more concerned with making their presence felt than getting things done. If you’ve been through this routine you’ve probably noticed how some people – usually those with a more tolerant, common sense outlook and less to say – get tired of it all and slip out before the meeting is concluded.

Decisions are not necessarily made by those who turn up; they’re made by those who are willing to endure what most of us find exhausting after a day’s work. That often means those who don’t do full time jobs, or whose lives revolve around politics.

This is unhealthy. A proper democracy should have room to accommodate people who want to make a contribution, but don’t want it to swamp the time they have away from work. Instead we have a culture where you have to be driven, whether by good intentions or an outsized ego (and they often go together), to make your presence felt.

I’ve been thinking about this after recently writing an article on e-democracy. I believe a lot of people would be much more inclined to take part in politics if they could do it from the comfort of home.

So far, most e-democracy initiatives in the UK have been around consultations or petitioning, but it could be used for the decision making process. Technology has already developed to a point where it’s not difficult to circulate the agenda and supporting material for a discussion online, allow people to make their contributions to a debate over a period of days or weeks, and provide a forum for voting. It’s not beyond government to set up a registration process for participants, keep the debate civilised, ensure that the vote is transparent and provide an audit for the whole process.

One big advantage would be that people could sort through the hair splitting, digressions and political rants to the core arguments in much less time than if they sit listening to them, trying to be patient and wondering why they are subjecting themselves to the ordeal. They could say their own piece without dirty looks or shouting matches. They could take some time to think, and make up their minds detached from the pressures that often arise in a meeting room.

A lot of people would be more ready to get involved by spending an hour per week in front of their computers than enduring meetings. I reckon it would provide a more balanced group of people than those who tend to dominate politics. It would create a more open democracy, and lay the ground for decisions that go closer to meeting public needs.

Maybe I’m missing something, but so far I don’t see this happening. Is there any government agency or local authority that has set up an online forum for making decisions? Are there any political parties that carry out their debates and form policy online?

It brings out the sceptic in me. I have this suspicion that a lot of people who are active in politics enjoy the current situation. They’re making the decisions, and don’t want too many people turning up.
Most of them go through the treadmill of endless meetings as part of their lives, and to their minds anyone who wants to join the game should do what they’ve had to do. Shouldn’t people show their commitment before they can exert an influence?

I’m probably being unkind. I’ve met plenty of politicians who are open, honest and eager to do something for the public good. But also met quite a few who are convinced they are a cut above the drones who won’t devote a sizeable chunk of their lives to the game. I suspect that there is a sentiment in favour of broadening the democratic process, but not enough commitment to making it happen.

I hope that time proves me wrong, but I suspect that politicians are not all that keen on taking e-democracy all the way.

Mark Say is editor of Government Computing magazine. At various times in the past 25 years he has been a member of the Labour Party, a school governor, the chair of a council tenants’ association and the secretary of a youth club charity. In each case he grew extremely bored with the meetings.

Posted by Mark Say on 19/09/05 at 12:32pm
Categories · Political engagement · Across the Board · Ideal Goverment - project
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12 Jul 2005

Blog hotspots in response to London bombing

This one hit the public mood so precisely that its servers are flattened - http://www.werenotafraid.com . Even the unborn are unafraid.

Wiki DIY news http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Coordinated_terrorist_attack_in_London

(contrast Fox News idiotic distinction between Arab Londoners and “regular” ie non-Arab Londoners at http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=%22regular+--+of+nonarab+people%22 (text below)*

Choice London bombing blog quotes show sense of humour recovery.. http://www.livejournal.com/users/tyrell/154027.html

Unfold and continue reading...

Posted by William Heath on 12/07/05 at 2:23pm
Categories · Across the Board
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07 Jul 2005

How we feel about government this week

I think how we feel about government has changed more times in the last week than in years.

Last Saturday I was at the Eden projectwhere Nelson Mandela appeared on a large screen to address the Cornwall Live8 audience, part perhaps of the largest live global audience any politician has ever addressed, and with an overwhelming proportion agreeing with every word he said. This retired politician set out an agenda independent of our government, and we stood in a space that proved what could be achieved, as founder Tim Smit pointed out, without government.

Then we won the Olympics and tired old Blair became human, danced a jig, hugged his neighbour and found the right words about how we felt about M Chirac. I think we felt joy, pride, unity and a sense of shared purpose. No more Domes.

Today we feel a different solidarity with the emergency services, transport authorities, forensics experts and detectives. Blair, Howard, Davies, Simon Hughes, even Ken Livingstone hits the nail on the head. And Beardie, of course, spot on as ever. We know London won’t be bombed into terror, but will respond with solidarity, phlegm, and - let us hope - with tolerance. Even M Chirac is supportive, with a grave face, and we’re grateful.

The expression “war on terror” is oxymoronic. It’s the war that causes terror. The terrorism just causes resilient stoicism.

Two bombs went off within yards of where I stay. The Quakers are on the radio offing tea and a place for silent reflection at Friends House round the corner.

So today I feel about goverment - solidarity, pride, a tempered sense of joy, and an earnest desire to see government protect our values, dignity and freedom in a culture of respect. And I still don’t want an ID card - cue the debate on whether ID cards would have prevented the London bombings…

Posted by William Heath on 07/07/05 at 6:28pm
Categories · Across the Board
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12 Jun 2005

A Short List of Election Related Technology Issues

The following was prepared for the hearing and counter-hearing involving the “Carter/Baker Commission” to be held at Rice University on 30 June, 2005.

It lacks some of the formal style but it is a “proffer” of testimony I may or may not give before either body.

Actually, I am somewhat skeptical of the value of these rituals, both hearings and counter-hearings. But, with very little functional, much less participatory government, rituals (and blogs) are about all that is left of de Tocqueville’s or, for that matter, Andy Jackson’s Democracy in America

http://invigilator.blogspot.com/2005/06/short-list-of-election-related.html

Posted by John Robert Behrman on 12/06/05 at 3:01pm
Categories · Across the Board
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01 Jun 2005

Civic activism steps into the Establishment

Look what Richard Allan’s up to - sounds like TheyWorkForYou just got hosted by Oxford University. Cool.

Posted by William Heath on 01/06/05 at 5:21pm
Categories · Across the Board
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23 May 2005

How we register ourselves with the state

I’m not sure, but I think this 1 March Hansard quote from Financial Secretary Stephen Timms (extract of text below) means they won’t do anything hasty about civil registration reform but will take the time to check out the ideal way to modernise it.* Feisty FIPR reckons it was worth responding to the consultation at thetime, saying what it saw as wrong, and suggesting simpler better ways forward.

Unfold and continue reading...

Posted by William Heath on 23/05/05 at 4:51pm
Categories · Across the Board
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Ill-thought-out Home Office Proposals?

Having just taken some Parliament Channel, over lunch, I was rather shocked to hear the Home Office’s latest proposal… that to buy knives, one has to be 18: raising the existing age of sixteen. So, 16 is the age where taxes can be paid, and when young people can get married and set-up home… but a home without kitchen knives? How ridiculous…

Unfold and continue reading...

Posted by Adam McGreggor on 23/05/05 at 2:35pm
Categories · Across the Board · Identity
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15 Apr 2005

Common Law Marriage

Why is it that different government departments contradict each other regarding common law marriage?

An anecdote:

Unfold and continue reading...

Last summer I applied for Job Seekers Allowance in Birkenhead. I dare say I as the first person ever to answer ”Praxeologist” under the type of job I was looking for. Needless to say there was no suitable work, and I was actively encouraged to claim the income based allowance.

I was not intending to “live off the dole”, but was in a vulnerable financial position and felt it was fair game. I would have been willing to work in any job, but my advisor encouraged me to not take anything that wasn’t in the sphere of my qualifications: economics.

At the time, I was spending the summer at home in between study in the USA. I was told that I was therefore be ineligible for benefits because my academic funding should cover the summer.

WIBBI: The Dept. of Education and Skills correspondended with the Dept. of Work and Pensions?
For 10 months of the year I fund myself to get an education abroad, meaning that in 3-5 years time I’ll return to the UK with higher qualifications, and consequently pay more tax. Shouldn’t the DES encourage this from students? And if so, why should the DWP discourage it?

I would also be denied income support because I had moved in with my girlfriend. I did this because I could no longer afford to pay rent for my own place, and we thought we’d save money by sharing bills. This decision, however, meant that by common law we were a married couple.

WIBBI: The Dept. of Work and Pensions was compatible with the Inland Revenue?
To hear that her kind effort to reduce my outgoings invalidated any support from the state, at the very least I expected symmetry. If we were married in the eyes of the DWP, then surely we’d be married in the eyes of the IR? Alas not. My girlfriend could not claim married couple allowance, or any other tax credit for living with me.

There are three frustrations that linger with me following this episode. Firstly, each inconsistency increases the short term financial position of the govt, and decreases mine. This is why it feels unfair. Secondly, each inconsistency decreases the prospects of me developing into a qualified and richer tax payer. There is a lack of farsight that should be willing to invest in education. Finally, the story only has a happy ending because my parents happen to be able to support me.
If I were from a poor family, the inconsistencies between the various departments would have made me become elligible for income support, and for a very long time.

Wrap up...

Posted by Anthony J Evans on 15/04/05 at 3:26pm
Categories · "What do we want?" · Wibbipedia/MindtheGap · Across the Board
Comments (1) Trackbacks (3) Permalink

09 Jan 2005

FOI Request Archive

spy.org.uk are providing an archive of responses to their FOI2000 requests - an excellent idea.

Posted by Simon Banton on 09/01/05 at 3:04pm
Categories · Across the Board
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Page 1 of 4 pages 1 2 3 > Last »

Ideal Government

Let's say what we want from e-enabled government. Let's observe government first-hand. Let's say "Wouldn't It Be Better If" (WIBBI). Become an ethnographer of bureaucracy today! It beats getting frustrated with public services.

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Anyone is free to comment. Or mail with an article if you want to be an author. I'll post it up and send you a password. This whole thing is supported by Kable.

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Across the Board

12 Mar 2008

Freedom of Information & Email Addresses Thoughts

13 Jan 2008

Reality overtakes parody: examples

11 Dec 2007

Public Sector m-commerce

20 Jun 2007

Would abolishing poltiical parties help sort-out contentious political issues?

15 Oct 2006

China: can we be frank about the role of the awkward squad

03 Jul 2006

An easy efficiency gain: stop government-sponsored arms sales

19 Sep 2005

Are politicians scared of e-democracy?

12 Jul 2005

Blog hotspots in response to London bombing

07 Jul 2005

How we feel about government this week

12 Jun 2005

A Short List of Election Related Technology Issues

01 Jun 2005

Civic activism steps into the Establishment

23 May 2005

How we register ourselves with the state

Ill-thought-out Home Office Proposals?

15 Apr 2005

Common Law Marriage

09 Jan 2005

FOI Request Archive

Ideal Government

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Across the Board

12 Mar 2008

Freedom of Information & Email Addresses Thoughts

13 Jan 2008

Reality overtakes parody: examples

11 Dec 2007

Public Sector m-commerce

20 Jun 2007

Would abolishing poltiical parties help sort-out contentious political issues?

15 Oct 2006

China: can we be frank about the role of the awkward squad

03 Jul 2006

An easy efficiency gain: stop government-sponsored arms sales

19 Sep 2005

Are politicians scared of e-democracy?

12 Jul 2005

Blog hotspots in response to London bombing

07 Jul 2005

How we feel about government this week

12 Jun 2005

A Short List of Election Related Technology Issues

01 Jun 2005

Civic activism steps into the Establishment

23 May 2005

How we register ourselves with the state

Ill-thought-out Home Office Proposals?

15 Apr 2005

Common Law Marriage

09 Jan 2005

FOI Request Archive

Ideal Government

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