How to publish central government transparency data
Guidance for central government departments on the types of transparency data they must publish and how, including templates.
Government has committed to publishing many types of core transparency information, known collectively as the Central Government Corporate Transparency Commitments.
This guidance helps government departments publish consistently.
Centrally published transparency data
This core transparency data is published by the Cabinet Office:
- Civil Service sickness and absence data
- Ministers’ interest declarations
- Ministers’ salary data
- Senior civil servants’ names, grades, job titles and annual pay rates
- Special advisers’ names, grades and annual pay
Data published by departments
Central government departments are required to publish all the information in this collection. All government transparency data published on GOV.UK must be tagged to the Government transparency and accountability policy.
For each core transparency data type, this collection includes:
- publishing frequency
- publishing guidance, including templates
- guidance for how the data must be prepared if available
- information about the origin of the obligation if available
These are minimum requirements. Departments may go further in publishing more detailed information.
Organogram data
Government departments must publish organogram data on data.gov.uk every 6 months. See data.gov.uk’s organogram publication guidance.
Official Development Assistance
Departments that spend Official Development Assistance are required to publish spend and results to the International Aid Transparency Registry.
IATI is the open data standard adopted for cross-government use.
Trade union facility time data
From July 2018, government will publish data each year on the time government employees take off for official union activities. The Cabinet Office will provide publishing guidance for departments in spring 2018.
This data will be published to meet the requirements of the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 and Trade Union Act 2016.
Other information
Government also publishes other types of transparency information, like:
- Single Departmental Plans
- annual reports and accounts
- equality and diversity reports, including how departments are meeting the public sector equalities duty (required by the Equalities Act 2010)
- revenue from oil, gas, quarrying and mining (required by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative)
- sustainability reports (including information on the Greening Government commitments)
Government has also made departmental commitments across areas such as health, education, transport, and crime and justice. Specific commitments are listed in the UK’s Open Government National Action Plans.
The Local Government Transparency Code sets out minimum data that local authorities should publish.
Central government contracts over £10,000
Departments must publish tender opportunities and contract award notices on Contracts Finder for all central government contracts over £10,000. Departments must also publish the contract, which can be done on Contracts Finder.
The transparency requirements for publishing on Contracts Finder can be found in the ‘EU procurement directives and the UK regulations’.
Central government spending over £25,000
Publish this data monthly.
Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) data
Publish this data yearly.
Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) senior responsible owners
This data should be published when a new appointment is made.
Ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings
Publish this data quarterly.
Monthly payment card data over £500
This includes Electronic Purchasing Card Solution (ePCS) and Government Procurement Card (GPC) data. Publish this data monthly.
Non-consolidated performance related pay
Publish this data yearly.
Prompt payment data
Publish this data quarterly.
Senior civil servants' business appointment applications
Publish this data quarterly.
Senior officials' business expenses, hospitality and meetings
This data must be published quarterly.
Special advisers’ gifts, hospitality and meetings
Publish this data quarterly.
Spend control data
Government has agreed central controls for technology, property, recruitment, marketing and consultancy spending. Departments are required to publish all spending approved through the controls process.
See:
- Cabinet Office controls guidance: version 4.0
- Annex 2.7 Publishing expenditure approvals
Publish this data quarterly.
Workforce management information
Publish this data monthly.