All Don't know if this was widely received but just got it on my return from holiday.
Cheers Julian -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Open Source in the public sector Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 17:59:00 +0100 From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Colleagues, I'm emailing you because you have expressed an interest in free / open source software. As you may know I have tried on a number of occasions to raise the issue in Parliament, and my most recent attempt to do so resulted in a little progress. What follows is an extract from the report of Question Time on Thursday the 15th of September, when I asked the Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services what he was doing to support the use of free and open source software in the public sector. As you will see, a working group is being convened on the subject within the Scottish Executive. ---------------------------------- *2.** Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):* To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the public sector gains the greatest possible benefit from the use of free and open source software. (S2O-7549) *The Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform (George Lyon):* The Scottish Executive has set up the open source software working group to examine the role that open source and free software could play across the Scottish public sector. The group will consider the implications for Scotland of the Office of Government Commerce report and the Cabinet Office policy statement on the matter, which were both published in October 2004. *Patrick Harvie:* That answer is encouraging, but it would be helpful if more people in the field were aware that that work is going on. Those to whom I have spoken continually refer back to United Kingdom Government policies that the Scottish Executive has referred to and feel that nothing else is happening. Scotland could benefit from becoming a leading advocate in free software—free as in speech, not free as in beer—not only in terms of better value for money in our public services, but in applying the principles of free and open source software in as many ways as possible. I urge the minister to ask all his colleagues in other Government departments—those involved in education as well as public services—to consider those benefits. *George Lyon:* That is why the working group has been set up. Mr Harvie will be comforted to know that the group will examine the role that open source and free software could play in current and future projects across the Scottish public sector—for example, in support of shared services. The group is scheduled to meet soon and its programme of work will be agreed at its first meeting. We hope that it will report in early 2006. ----------------------------------- I have lodged some written questions to find out about the working group's remit, membership and so on. However it may be useful to put some feelers out into the open source and free software movements in Scotland, with a view to bringing together a small informal group in Parliament to help determine the best way of influencing the Executive's working group. If you are interested in participating, or if you would like to suggest someone else who you think could make a valuable contribution to this debate, I would be very glad to hear back from you. If you would prefer to contribute to discussions by email rather than by attending meetings, please feel free to do so. However if you are able to attend a meeting to get the ball rolling, please indicate whether Glasgow or Edinburgh would be a convenient location. Due to Parliamentary business, I would hope that a meeting could take place on a Monday, Tuesday or Friday. Sincerely, Patrick Harvie MSP ---------------------------------- Patrick Harvie MSP Green Group Room MG.15, Scottish Parliament Edinburgh, EH99 1SP Studio 6, St George's Studios St George's Road, Glasgow, G3 6JA 0131 348 6365 / 0141 332 6405 [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ___www.patrickharviemsp.com_ <file://www.patrickharviemsp.com> ********************************************************************** "The information in this e-mail transmission and any files or attachments transmitted with it are strictly confidential and may contain privileged information. It is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute, disclose or take any action in reliance on it. 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