The term ‘public task’ is an important concept in the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 (the 2015 Regulations). It is one of the main factors determining whether information produced, collected or held by a public sector body falls within the scope of the 2015 Regulations.

The National Archives has updated its guidance to assist public sector bodies in defining and publishing a statement of their public tasks under the 2015 Regulations:

Guidance on public task statements (PDF, 2.02 MB)

Examples of public task statements

The National Archives has published its own statement of public task: The National Archives’ Statement of Public Task (PDF, 86.6KB).

Some examples of public task statements issued by other public sector bodies include:

• Bersted Parish Council
• British Museum
• Department of Finance, Northern Ireland
• Falkirk Council
• Financial Conduct Authority
• Gloucestershire Archives
• Information Commissioner’s Office
• Lincolnshire Library Service
• National Galleries Scotland
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
• Scottish Parliament
• Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Service
• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Swansea University Library
• Welsh Government

What is ‘public task’?

Public task relates to your core role and functions. Your core role and functions may be statutory or established through custom and practice. There are no definitive statements on what is meant by the term in the 2015 Regulations.

Why is a clear statement of public task important?

Public task statements help public sector bodies to establish:

• which activities fall within its core responsibilities and those of a more optional (and often commercial) nature
• what information is available for re-use
• how bodies use and re-use their own information and the terms of that re-use
• whether the terms of the 2015 Regulations apply to requests for re-use
• what criteria for charging above marginal cost, if permitted, should be applied
• what licence terms should be applied
• whether complaints about re-use can be made under the 2015 Regulations

An exclusive agreement is where a public sector body grants an organisation sole right to re-use particular information. Exclusive agreements are prohibited under section 14 of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015.

There are two important exceptions: first, if there are no alternatives to providing a public task service, and second, for digitising cultural resources.

• Exclusive arrangements are permitted when a public task service cannot be provided otherwise
  • These arrangements must be reviewed at least once every three years to ensure the reason(s) for exclusivity remain valid
  • Details of any such arrangement entered into on or after 31/12/2003 must be published
• Exclusive arrangements are permitted to digitise cultural resources
  • These arrangements should not exceed 10 years. If it does exceed 10 years, the duration must be reviewed in the 11th year and every 7 years after, if applicable
  • Details of any such arrangement must be published
  • The public sector body must have access to the information during the term of the agreement, and it must receive one free copy of a digitised resource at the end of the agreement
• Any other exclusive arrangements existing on 17 July 2013 must be terminated no later than 18 July 2043

Reviews of public sector body exclusive licences

The National Archives undertook reviews in 2008 and 2010 (under the 2005 regulations) into the potential existence of exclusive agreements by central government departments, devolved administrations and Trading Funds.

Review of public sector body exclusive licences – 2008 and 2010

Read our guidance on the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015.

The guidance is tailored for public and cultural sector bodies and for re-users with an interest in the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015:

Implementation guidance for public sector bodies (PDF, 465 KB)
Implementation guidance for the cultural sector (PDF, 383 KB)
Implementation guidance for re-users (PDF, 395 KB)

Additional resources

Resources about the re-use of public sector information.

Information Commissioner’s Office Guide to RPSI which explains its role and the re-use complaints process.

Under the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015, in force since 18 July 2015, complaints about re-use are the responsibility of the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Read more in our Guidance on the implementation of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015.

Read the Information Commissioner’s Office Guide to RPSI which explains their role and the new complaints process.

These pages will help those offering public sector information for re-use under a licence. There are details about using the Open Government Licence (OGL) as an information provider, and about the restrictions on exclusive licensing.

The OGL can be used by both central government and the wider public sector.

Guidance on the implementation of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 is available for public sector and cultural sector bodies and for re-users.

UK reports on the re-use of public sector information

Until 2015, the UK government published reports on activity in the area of public sector information, including complaint reports under the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations and the related Information Fair Trader Scheme, as well as reports on The National Archives handling of complaints and the operation of the exceptions to marginal cost pricing process.

These reports can now be accessed via the UK Government Web Archive.

This page is for re-users of government information. You will find information from The National Archives and other resources.

The National Archives’ resources

• Guidance on the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015
• Links between access and re-use (updated 2015) (PDF, 130 KB)
• Public task guidance
• Checklist – get ready for re-use (PDF, 90.8 KB)
• Scope of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 flowchart (PDF, 64 KB)
• Information asset lists (PDF, 31.2 KB)
• Glossary of PSI re-use terms (PDF, 163 KB)
• Template form for requesting re-use (for public sector bodies to adapt) (Word document, 48.5 KB)
• Template statement on re-use for public sector bodies (PDF, 130 KB)

See older reports from The National Archives in the UK Government Web Archive.

External reports and resources

• Getting smarter: a strategy for knowledge and innovation assets in the public sector (The Mackintosh Report) – HM Treasury, 2021
• Open Data Barometer 2017 Leaders Edition – World Wide Web Foundation
• Guide to RPSI – Information Commissioner’s Office
• Managing Public Money – HM Treasury (see especially Annex 6.2, Charging for Information)
• Managing Public Money NI – Department of Finance (see especially Annex 6.2, Charging for Information)
• Scottish Public Finance Manual – Scottish Government (see especially Annex 3, Charging for Information)
• Managing Welsh Public Money – Welsh Government (see especially Annex 6.2, Charging for Information)
• G8 Open Data Charter
• Government response to the Shakespeare review of Public Sector Information
• Shakespeare review – an independent review of Public Sector Information
• Market Assessment of Public Sector Information
• Implementing the Transparency Agenda – Public Accounts Committee report
• Implementing Transparency – cross-government review by the National Audit Office
• A Right to Data: Fulfilling the promise of open public data in the UK – Policy Exchange report note
• Transparent Government, Not Transparent Citizens – report of the independent transparency and privacy review
• Digital Britain report
• Operational Efficiency Programme final report
• Power of Information
• ‘Cambridge Report’ Models of Public Sector Information Provision via Trading Funds
• Commercial Use of Public Information – 2015 evaluation of the OFT market study
• CUPI 2006 Office of Fair Trade report

Other organisations

• Information Commissioner’s Office
• Scottish Information Commissioner’s Office
• Open Data Institute

Legislation and Regulations

• Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015
• Related Legislation and regulations

Public sector information (PSI) is information produced by central and local government or any other public body.

Any information (content) whatever its medium (form) – including print, digital or electronic, and sound recordings – produced, held or disseminated by a public sector body is considered PSI. This includes an enormous range: corporate information such as reports and financial data, codes of practice, public records, statistics, still and moving images, press releases, artefacts, publication schemes, and so on. Computer programs are not included in the definition of PSI.

A framework for enabling the re-use of this PSI is provided by the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015. Guidance on these Regulations is available for public sector and cultural sector bodies and for re-users. Most PSI is made available for re-use by providing it under Open Government Licence terms.

Learn about re-using public sector information (PSI), licensing and copyright, and more.