Comments on: Crown Copyright Outrage

By: Simon C

Simon C — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:22:09 +0000

The founding genius of Austlii has also chimed in – http://listserver.ciesin.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0608c&L=int-law&T=0&F=&S=&P=1631

By: Simon C

Simon C — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 21:46:08 +0000

So that's why Heather Brooke took off on the issue.

Funny we fought this issue out in Canada in the 1980s. Good summary by David Vaver of Oxford at http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/conf/dac/en/vaver/vaver.html

By: Nick Holmes

Nick Holmes — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 18:24:27 +0000

broken link above fixed here http://www.binarylaw.co.uk/index.php/2006/08/17/free-access-to-the-laws-that-bind-us/

By: Nick Holmes

Nick Holmes — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 18:22:59 +0000

The DCA regards the Statute Law Database as a "value added" service and so without the Crown copyright waiver. See para 15 of:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advice/crown-copyright/copyright-guidance/reproduction-of-legislation.htm

More on the ins and outs of this at
http://www.binarylaw.co.uk/index.php/2006/08/17/free-access-to-the-laws-tha

By: Nick Holmes

Nick Holmes — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 18:21:07 +0000

More on the ins and outs of this at
http://www.binarylaw.co.uk/index.php/2006/08/17/free-access-to-the-laws-that-bind-us/

By: Stephane Cottin

Stephane Cottin — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 08:04:31 +0000

A recent document (20 june 2006) from the very official United Kingdom delegation of the "working party on legal data processing" of the Council of the European union : http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/06/st10/st10671-ad06.en06.pdf
tells exactly the contrary of what it is said in the Guardian.

"The overall strategy involves (…)Providing access to the UK Statute Law Database, thus enabling users to access all legislation as it is first enacted and as it is revised and updated over time."

By: Simon C

Simon C — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 16:20:42 +0000

Thanks Ruth. Wouldn't be the first time that the Grauniad has exaggerated a bit.

By: bird

bird — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 11:15:10 +0000

The assertion of Crown Copyright is correct, but with the OPSI site all recent legislation is available, and Bailli holds the material as well. It is not consolidated, and there is no 'free' government site such as those in US, Australia etc. Heather Brooke spoke at the JSI conference last week, and whilst she has raised a vaild issue, the article does sensationalise things a little bit, because the CC is waived easily as you can see from the FAQ pages. The actual government database has become a saga in its own right, but people can access legislation freely, just not in a consolidated format.