Data Linkage Framework Programme Board meeting
Wednesday 17th April 14:00 – 16:00
Meeting Notes
Present:
Andrew Morris (Scottish Government, Chief Scientist) - CHAIR
Roger Halliday (Scottish Government, Chief Statistician)
Sara Grainger (Scottish Government, Office of the Chief Statistician and
Performance)
Tim Ellis (National Records for Scotland: Registrar General)
Steve Pavis (National Services Scotland: Information Services Division) – deputising
for Susan Burney (Head of ISD)
Chris Dibben (St Andrews, Scottish Longitudinal Study and Administrative Data
Liaison Service)
Vanessa Cuthill (ESRC) – phoned in at 3pm
John Frank (MRC: Director, Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and
Policy)
Maureen Falconer (Information Commissioner’s Office)
Catherine Millington (Scottish Government, Office of the Chief Statistician and
Performance)
Apologies: Pete Whitehouse (Scottish Government, Health & Social Care); Susan
Burney.
1. Welcome, apologies and introductions
Andrew welcomed everyone and highlighted the importance of this newly
established Board to steer and direct delivery of the Data Linkage Framework which
offers huge potential to Scotland.
2. Structure of the group
This Board and the Data Management Board have replaced the Data Linkage
Steering Group. The focus of this Board is delivery of the primary Data Linkage
Framework elements, i.e. the Data Linkage Service, Privacy Advisory Committee,
and Guiding Principles. It is a short life group, expected to exist for between 12 and
18 months and cease when the Privacy Advisory Group is established.
It was agreed that a ‘lay’ member should be included (possibly someone who is
already on the SHIP advisory group), and that representatives from N. Ireland,
Wales, and ONS should be invited to meetings as observers.
This Board reports into the Data Management Board whose remit also covers open
data, big data, and data sharing for direct service delivery. The first meeting of the
Data Management Board is 7 June for which a report on data linkage will be
required.
Remit was discussed in general terms and agreed that close oversight and
leadership of all DLF workstreams was central. Whether or not to include ‘data
access’ (to not necessarily linked data) needs considering by the Data Management
Board in light of other groups’ remits.
Actions:
 Catherine to invite lay membership and observers from other nations
 Catherine to circulate the following key documents:
a. Data Linkage Framework Strategy
b. Consultation paper for the data linkage Service
c. ADT report
d. SHiP blueprint
e. NHS National Privacy Advisory Committee consultation
f. Minutes of the last Steering Group meeting
g. Remit and membership of the Data Management Board
 Catherine to draft terms of reference for this group for agreement.
3. Work streams
The structure of working arrangements was described: Gerry’s team across in NRS
and ISD are delivering the Data Linkage and Sharing Service, and Sara’s team in the
SG are working on public engagement, privacy and ethics including development of
the Privacy Advisory Committee.
On the latter Chris Dibben asked about links with UK wide departments and Sara
explained that the intention is to join the Scottish Privacy Advisory Committee with
whatever structure emerges for the UK from the Administrative Data Task Force
recommendations as regards privacy advice and that the point about engaging with
key UK departments early was well made.
A number of ‘pathfinder’ projects have been set up to test the different elements of
the Data Linkage and Sharing Service – the projects are due to deliver their
feedback before the Service is operational (by the end of the calendar year).
Questions were raised about the mechanism for the pathfinder projects to feed into
workstreams on public engagement, privacy and ethics; how they will influence and
shape the strategy and it’s delivery; and how they were selected for funding.
It was noted that calling them ‘pathfinder’ projects was misleading as they are case
studies in testing the system as it is being built.
The need for better co-ordination of workstreams was identified, in particular
information about roles and work plans of constituent parts need sharing amongst
those involved. Roger specified the need for a single programme plan that clearly
identifies responsibility of elements.
It was suggested that a workshop for all those involved across the workstreams
would be useful, with oversight from this group. The workshop would challenge
participants to come up with a proposal for how to improve communication between
workstreams and how to report to this group.
Actions:
 Catherine to arrange workshop within next 6 weeks
 Gerry to provide a paper for the next meeting explaining selection of
pathfinder projects and their value is to the programme.
4. Resources
It was noted that although this group can’t hold financial resources it would be useful
to have a high-level discussion around resources in the form of a meeting between
Roger, Tim and Andrew.
Roger noted that the next spending review will be in the summer. There is also
money available from other sources (ESRC and MRC) and we need to be ready with
a Scottish bid.
Vanessa phoned in and said that the ESRC have capital funding available for
opportunities linked to recommendations from the ADT report. Expect the call to be
made in early June and accompanied by a workshop, with a closing date of end
June. Peer review will be in July with a decision expected in September.
The Board agreed that a strong bid from Scotland would be advantageous and
agreed to discuss outwith the meeting who would be best placed to lead the drafting.
Actions:


Andrew to contact Tim and Roger to discuss resources
Sara to lead discussions with others to identify resource for drafting a bid.
The next meeting will be arranged for early June shortly after the Data Management
Board.