I was pleased to join a panel recently hosted by the Open Data Institute (ODI) on the future of the UK’s National Data Library (NDL). The NDL is intended to make accessing and using government data easier, faster, and more secure. It’s designed to support data-driven public services, encourage innovation, and boost economic growth by providing a central hub for data sharing. UK government ministers are optimistic that the NDL will also help ensure data is used responsibly and ethically. Although many organisations, including the ODI and the Tony Blair Institute, have suggested how the NDL should be built, the government has yet to publish any firm plans.
The panel I joined brought together a range of views from government, policy, research and industry on how to design the NDL as a national asset that not only stores and connects valuable data, but also builds public trust and delivers tangible outcomes.
At Ovation Data, we work closely with clients across sectors such as oil and gas, heritage and biotechnology. We see firsthand how difficult it can be to manage, clean and prepare large volumes of data. In many cases, the main issue is not a lack of ambition, but the condition of the data itself. It is often fragmented, inconsistently formatted, and housed in systems that were never designed to be integrated.
Our clients are often motivated by predictions that AI can deliver efficiency and value to their businesses. The idea that data can be used to generate faster insights and support better decision-making is compelling. However, what is often less well understood is that clean, structured and well-governed data is the foundation for any reliable AI model. Without that, the results are at best patchy and at worst misleading.
“Clean, structured and well-governed data is the foundation for any reliable AI model.”
During the panel, Anastasia Bektimirova from the Entrepreneurs’ Network argued persuasively that the National Data Library should begin by linking administrative data across government departments. Henry Li from the Tony Blair Institute made the case for the UK’s health data to be treated as a priority for inclusion in the NDL, with clear safeguards to ensure that the public benefits. Professor Elena Simperl from the ODI cautioned against building something all-encompassing from the outset. Instead, she suggested starting with a narrow focus and delivering tangible results as early as possible. I found all of these perspectives well judged.
In sectors like ours, some practical lessons could inform the design of the NDL. For example, companies in the oil and gas industry must submit their data to the UK’s National Data Repository. In theory, this is a sound policy that supports data retention and energy strategy. In practice, compliance has been limited. Many operators face high costs in remastering old data. There is also a reluctance to share datasets that were expensive to acquire and might lose their commercial value once made available. Sanctions for non-compliance are too low to act as a meaningful deterrent.
This highlights the need to look beyond regulation. Financial and technical support and a clear sense of the value organisations will gain by participating are important. These incentives are just as crucial as legal requirements.
“Financial and technical support and a clear sense of the value organisations will gain by participating are important.”
One of the questions raised during the panel was about what drives companies to invest in data quality. In our experience, it is often only when the cost of bad data becomes impossible to ignore – missed deadlines, poor decisions, duplication of effort – that organisations take the issue seriously. The NDL could help change that dynamic by showing that high-quality data is not a nice-to-have, but part of essential infrastructure.
There is also a question of trust. As I said during the discussion, the most significant risk lies in consent. The purpose for which data was gathered initially matters. If that purpose changes, clear communication and safeguards must be in place to ensure that privacy is not compromised and trust is not lost. Public scepticism about government data use is real and must be addressed openly.
Beyond the UK, African and Gulf countries use national data strategies to support energy transition, strengthen collaboration, and build digital leadership. The UK has the potential to do the same, but it must begin with practical steps. This means focusing on the basics, avoiding unnecessary complexity, and ensuring that the NDL is useful from day one.
Building a National Data Library is a worthwhile goal. Getting there will require more than vision. It will demand trust, clarity and a readiness to solve the complex problems at the heart of our data landscape.
Watch the full panel here.
