By Marcus Leach
The Prime Minister has committed to publishing key data on the National Health Service, schools, criminal courts and transport.
This represents the most ambitious open data agenda of any government anywhere in the world.
The new data will reveal clinical achievements and prescribing data by individual GP practices, the performance of hospital teams in treating lung cancer and other key healthcare conditions, the effectiveness of schools at teaching pupils across a range of subjects, criminal sentencing by each court, and data on rail timetables, rail service performance, roadworks, current road conditions, car parks and cycle routes in an open format for use by all.
The new commitments aim to create a "new era of transparency", providing the public with more information about the performance of services they use every day, and to help to drive modern, personalised and sustainable public services. The new data are also expected to drive economic growth as they promote the creation of new services and applications.
In an article on transparency for the Telegraph, Mr Cameron writes: "The past 12 months have been about opening up Whitehall, the next 12 months must be about opening up public services.
"With our new plans, you'll be able to drill down into the performance of individual schools, checking their exam results by subject area, absence rates and the quality of teaching.
"Our aim is to provide similar information on performance right across the public services.
"So now, you'll be able to compare the health outcomes of individual GP practices and hospital departments.
"You'll be able to see not just what crimes have been committed on your street, but what action the police have taken.
"You'll also know about congestion on local roads and delays on your railway line. And in all these areas, the data will be updated regularly.
"This is a complete revolution in transparency - and it's going to have a profound impact."
This information will not only be helpful for public opinion, it will also help to raise standards. Evidence shows that when performance information is shared between professionals the competition drives up standards: "Our doctors, teachers and police officers are passionate about driving up performance and being the best. Speak to them and they'll tell you they desperately want this information, and this opportunity."
The Prime Ministers states that this will "help us mend our economy" by creating pressure to get real value for taxpayers' money. The transparency will also help to boost enterprise by creating innovations, not only helping new start-ups, but established industries too.
Mr Cameron urges people to "use this information, exploit it, hold your public services to account. They are there for you, so make them work for you."
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