Ladywell HouseRoom 2/1/1
Ladywell House
Ladywell Road
Edinburgh EH12 7TF
www.nrscotland.gov.uk
2 July 2013
Dear D. Mackenzie,
Thank you for your request dated 4 June 2013 under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) copied below:
“The DSLS Scheme has been reported as a public database which will enforce a vast and intrusive recording system on the Scottish public.
Under FOISA can you provide information which states what the total cost of setting up this project will be including costs already spent?
Can you please also release information which specifies the projected cost per year for the project?”
We have now completed our search for the information you request, and have included it here:
The Data Sharing and Linking Service (DSLS) is being developed in collaboration with NHS National Services Scotland and National Records of Scotland (NRS) to facilitate research designed to help inform improvements of public services in Scotland.
In order to facilitate such research, the DSLS will provide a highly secure environment allowing accredited researchers to analyse anonymised data based on linkage of extracts from existing data sources. Linked datasets will be held only for as long as is required for each project. The DSLS will not create or maintain a national database of linked data.
The DSLS will operate as part of the Scottish Government Data Linkage Framework under the direction of a Governing Board. The service will only support statistical or research projects that are legal, ethical and in the public interest.
A summary of spending on the DSLS is as follows:
Year / Spending Review Allocation (£s) / Actual Spend (£)2012-13 / 1,080,000 / 960,000
2013-14 / 1,150,000
2014-15 / 980,000
Spending for 2012-13 has been on consulting on the technical design of the DSLS, developing the technical infrastructure for the service, setting up a number of trial research projects and staff resources.
If you are unhappy with this response to your request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review, by writing to:
Ms Audrey Robertson
Head of Corporate Services
National Records of Scotland
Ladywell House
Ladywell Road
Edinburgh
EH12 7TF
Your request should explain why you wish a review to be carried out and should be made within 40 working days of receipt of this letter
Your request should explain why you wish a review to be carried out, and should be made within 40 working days of receipt of this letter, and we will reply within 20 working days of receipt. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to make a formal complaint to the Scottish Information Commissioner.
Yours sincerely,
Gerry Donnelly
Data Sharing and Linking Service Programme Manager
Preserving the Past | Recording the present | Informing the future