A copy of the current working schedule was distributed to all members of the Group. Devolution has also resulted in a potential requirement to issue parallel guidance on behalf of the Queen s Printer for Scotland in some cases. The projected timetable for issuing this GN could accommodate the User Group s views and that those views would form- part of the discussion groups coverage and report back to the main Group in February 2000. This issue will be discussed at the next User Group meeting when the outcome of the discussion groups will be examined in full. While it is not compulsory for departments or their chosen publishers to supply data, there is an obligation on departments to make provision for data to be available in a reproducible format ensuring that users have a source which they are able to reproduce from, even if this involves the rekeying of data.
Departments currently produce material in a variety of different formats.
HMSO and CITU would explore related initiatives on standards. Fees are being paid to HMSO for material which could be reproduced free of charge under, e.g. the HMSO GN on legislation. It was explained that a GN was required to clarify an inconsistency in the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations and its reference to Public Lending Right legislation which could exclude Crown works and is unduly restrictive, contrary to current liberalisation of access. Information Asset Register IAR Newsletter No. 3 was issued on 12 October 1999.