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Local Government: Disclosure of Information

Asked by Sir James CleverlyConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 29 June 2026UIN 11668

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to amend the Local Government Transparency Code so that information published by individual local authorities under the requirements of the Code are accessible in an open data format through an API interface.

Answered by Alison McGovern

The Code currently states “Public data should be published in a format and under a licence that allows open reuse, including for commercial and research activities, in order to maximise value to the public”. We are keeping the Code under review in the context of wider work on the local government accountability system.

Our approach to local government reform is set out in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, which includes reforming the local audit system to ensure effective scrutiny, accountability and transparency of local government accounts.

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