The National Audit Office has reported on how government is fulfilling its commitments to promote the transparency of public information. The report recognises the strength of the strategic case for greater transparency, and highlights progress across government in fulfilling most of its initial commitments. However, government needs a better understanding of costs, benefits and use to assess whether transparency is meeting its objectives of increasing accountability, supporting service improvement and stimulating economic growth.

The Government has significantly increased the amount and type of public sector information released. Twenty-three out of 25 commitments by central government, due by December 2011, had been met by that month. However, the assessment of value for money is underdeveloped. While the Cabinet Office has identified six types of potential benefits from open data, it is not yet using this framework to evaluate the success and value for money of its various transparency initiatives. The new Open Data Institute will have a role to improve evidence on economic and public service benefits of open data, although the range and scope of its work is not yet clear.

Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said: "Opening up access to public information has the potential to improve accountability and support public service improvement and economic growth. What the Government is lacking at the moment is a firm grasp of whether that potential is being realised. If transparency initiatives are to be more than aspirations, then Government needs to measure and monitor both their costs and benefits. This is vital for tracking success and learning what works."