Ordnance Survey says it’s for the Department of Communities and Local Government that’s in charge of the consultation over making its data free….

According to this Parliamentary answer, DCLG thinks so too:

The question:

Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the announcement of 17 November 2009 on the Making Public Data Public initiative, when he expects to begin the consultation regarding access to Ordnance Survey data.

The answer from the DCLG minister responsible:

Ian Austin (Minister of State (the West Midlands), Regional Affairs; Dudley North, Labour)

We expect the consultation to be launched during the week beginning 14 December 2009.

That’s this week. This week is almost over. What, it takes a week to launch a consultation? There are international experts who can do it quicker. Meanwhile I tried phoning the DCLG press office (no reply on multiple lines) and emailing it (no response).

Helluva way to organise a consultation.

The following posts may be related...(the database guesses):
• Anyone seen a consultation? (18 December 2009; score: 42.31%)
• Hurrah! Ordnance Survey consultation is live! (23 December 2009; score: 36.58%)
• Free our data, says Lords info committee (6 August 2009; score: 21.34%)
• The government wants you to show it a better way (and will pay £20,000) (2 July 2008; score: 21.1%)
• Ordnance Survey's lobbying, part 1 (28 August 2008; score: 18.68%)