The contents of the file below is frozen as of March 2019.
If you are looking for an updated survey of Scottish open data please check the main Readme of this repo.
11 Mar 2019 Added open procurement and open contracts links below. Hard to find, but these pages do offer good data coverage and are clearly licensed under OGL 3.0
27 Feb 2019 Two new sources identified.
- Scottish Parliament with 121 Datasets, and
- Health and Social Care (Home Care) Datasets
The licensing for each of these is far from clear or easy to understand, but having waded through it I believe that the Scottish Government's intent is that they are licensed under OGL or similar.
A list of open data resources in the Scottish public sector.
Data is broken into two types - open data, and linked open data.
| Key | Definition |
|---|---|
| A | API |
| L | Linked Open Data |
| O | Open Data |
Data provided by the 32 Local Authorities. The data provision falls into three formats: portal, landing page and GIS-only data.
The following councils have open data portals - most, if not all, CKAN.
| Council | URL | Status | Datasets | +/- since last time | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen City Council | URL | 5 | 0 | O | |
| Angus Council | URL | 34 | -1 | O | |
| Clackmannanshire Council | URL | 18 | 0 | O | |
| Dumfries and Galloway | URL | 33 | - | 0 | |
| Dundee City Council | URL | 51 | 0 | O | |
| Edinburgh City Council | URL | 234 | 0 | O | |
| Glasgow City Council | URL | 89 | +8 | O | |
| Highland Council | URL | 0 | 0 | O | |
| Perth and Kinross Council | URL | 46 | 0 | O | |
| Stirling Council | URL | 8 | -1 | O |
The following councils have open landing pages as part of their websites.
| Council | URL | Status | Datasets | Change | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire Council | URL | 28 | +2 | O | |
| East Ayrshire Council | URL | 4 | 0 | O | |
| East Renfrewshire Council | URL | 5 | 0 | O | |
| Moray Council | URL | 8 | 0 | O | |
| North Lanarkshire Council | URL | 17 | +2 | O | |
| Shetland Islands Council | URL | 4 | 0 | O | |
| South Ayrshire Council | URL | 11 | -6 | O |
These councils only expose geographical open data using their GIS systems.
| Council | URL | Status | Datasets | Change | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argyll and Bute Council | URL | 31 | 0 | O | |
| North Ayrshire Council | URL | 105 | +2 | O |
The following authorities still have no open data provision that I can find.
- East Dunbartonshire Council
- East Lothian Council
- Falkirk Council
- Fife Council
- Inverclyde Council
- Midlothian Council
- Orkney Islands Council
- Renfrewshire Council
- Scottish Borders Council
- South Lanarkshire Council
- West Dunbartonshire Council
- Western Isles Council (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar)
- West Lothian Council
The Scottish Parliament, separate to the Scottish Government has released 121 data sets. This covers motions, petitions, Bills, petitions and other procedural data, and is very interesting.
The licensing is far from clear. To find that you have to go to Notes > Policy on Use of SPCB Copyright Material. Following the first link there you see that you have to add "Contains information licenced under the Scottish Parliament Copyright Licence. " to anything you make with it, which is OK. But if you go to the second link the wording (slightly) contradicts that obligation. It then has a chunk about OGL but says, "This Scottish Parliament Licence is aligned with OGLv3.0" whatever that means. Why not just license all of the data under OGL? I can't see what they are trying to do.
Bob Taylor has created some interesting visualisations with this data here
The sections below list open data provision by the Scottish Government and its directorates, agencies, NDPBS etc. Locating data is not helped by the antiquated Scottish Government website. Searching tends to throw up policy pages rather than data. Thankfully they are testing a beta version website. While that looks much better it breaks many of the links.
The Scottish Government's Statistics have a great portal with 248 Data Sets from multiple organisational-providers.
| Organisation | URL | Datasets | Change | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant in Bankruptcy | URL | 3 | - | L |
| Care Inspectorate | URL | 3 | +3 | L |
| National Records of Scotland | URL | 26 | - | L |
| NHS Information Services Division | URL | 28 | - | L |
| Revenue Scotland | URL | 2 | - | L |
| Scottish Fire and rescue Servcive | URL | 1 | - | L |
| Scottish Government | URL | 166 | - | L |
| Scottish Natural Heritage | URL | 2 | - | O |
| SEPA | URL | 1 | - | O |
| Transport Scotland | URL | 8 | - | O |
| Visit Scotland | URL | 6 | - | O |
| All | URL | 248 | - | O |
- The Scottish Spatial Data Infrastructure. This is a metadata repository for Inspire data, but does not publish open data.
- Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation: map and Data is on the Statistics Portal mentioned above, specificallyhere
- Spatial Hub - 4 datasets open
According to Wikipedia there are thirty-three directorates of the Scottish Government. These are listed below. So far it appears that few produce open data.
No open data found.
- Financial Strategy
- Internal Audit
No open data found.
- Advanced Learning and Science
- Housing and Social Justice
- Justice
- Learning
- Local Government and Communities
- Safer Communities
There are three datasets about homecare made available here. It took someone who knows about this to find them and let me know about their existence. This is on the old Scots Government Website. The new one is here.
The main page is clearly marked at, the foot, "Crown Copyright." However, clicking on that take us to this page which is something I have not seen before on the Scottish Government website. "Re-using Crown copyright material. You may use and re-use the information featured on this website (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence." This is fantastic, and something that I have been calling for for some time across the Scottish public sector. The new website allows the same reuse of content under OGL.
- Chief Medical Officer
- Chief Nursing Officer
- Children and Families
- Health and Social Care Integration
- Healthcare Quality and Improvement
- Health Finance
- Health Performance and Delivery
- Health Workforce & Strategic Change
- Population Health
So far I have identified Marine Scotland as the only body in the list below publishing Open Data.
| Directorate | URL | Datasets | Change | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Scotland Data | https://data.marine.gov.scot | 210 | -66 | OA |
| Marine Scotland Maps | http://maps.marine.gov.scot | 972 ^ | - | (O) |
| Marine Scotland Information | http://marine.gov.scot | 300$ | O |
^ The layers aren't all #opendata but there are 972 live layers on MS Maps (805 of those are available as WMS). 244 of the layers have a download link. 43 of those datasets are provided for download under OGL via SSDI. Those specific 43 layers are Marine Scotland data, plus there is an additional 2 on a view only service. Source: https://twitter.com/marinemaps/status/1098275087973797890
$ - 300 information pages available as web page, rss, or xml (with linkages to other Marine Scotland platforms)
- Agriculture and Rural Economy
- Culture, Tourism and Major Events
- Economic Development
- Energy & Climate Change
- Environment & Forestry
- Fair Work, Employability & Skills
- Marine Scotland (including Aquaculture, Freshwater Fisheries & Licensing Policy, Performance, Science, Planning & Policy, Compliance and Sea Fisheries Policy)
The Scottish Government supports Open Procurement. You can download bulk notices or use the API to select data. You can find the data here
Similarly, you can search the contracts register on this page. Each is OGL licensed.
- Communications and Ministerial Support
- Digital
- Financial Management
- People
- Scottish Procurement and Commercial
No open data found.
- External Affairs
- Legal Services (Solicitor to the Scottish Government)
- Parliamentary Counsel
- Strategy and Constitution
Wikipedia lists nine executive agencies. Where the items in the list below are starred, it indicates that they have some or all of their open data on the Statistics portal, above. Otherwise, I have found no open data for them. Compare this with Wikidata items which are CC0 licensed Linked Data and carry HES identifiers for the objects, as well as categories of teh listed buildings.
- Accountant in Bankruptcy *
- Disclosure Scotland
- Education Scotland
- Historic Environment Scotland
- Scottish Prison Service
- Scottish Public Pensions Agency
- Social Security Scotland
- Student Awards Agency for Scotland
- Transport Scotland
According to Wikipedia, the Scottish Government is reponsible for the following 92 Non Departmental Public Bodies, each of whom should be producing open data according to the Scottish Government's Open Data.
Where the items in the list below are starred, it indicates that they have some or all of their open data on the Statistics portal, above. Otherwise, I have found no open data for them.
- Food Standards Scotland
- National Records of Scotland *
- Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
- Registers of Scotland
- Revenue Scotland *
- Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
- Scottish Fiscal Commission
- Scottish Housing Regulator
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator does allow a download of data, but the conditions attached to it means that it is not strictly Open Data. See: https://www.oscr.org.uk/about-charities/search-the-register/charity-register-download
Where the items in the list below are starred, it indicates that they have some or all of their open data on the Statistics portal, above. Otherwise, I have found no open data for them.
It appears that SEPA, and SNH in addition to using the Scottish Government's new Statistics Open Data Portal also publish separately:
| Directorate | URL | Datasets | Change | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) | URL | 6 | - | L |
| Scotish Natual Heritage (SNH) | URL | 54 * | - | O |
- 53 datasets labeled OGL, one "free to use"
- Accounts Commission for Scotland
- Architecture and Design Scotland
- Bòrd na Gàidhlig
- Cairngorms National Park Authority
- Care Inspectorate *
- Children's Hearings Scotland
- Creative Scotland
- Crofters Commission
- Historic Environment Scotland
- Highlands & Islands Enterprise
- Learning & Teaching Scotland
- The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority
- National Galleries of Scotland
- National Library of Scotland
- National Museums Scotland
- Police Investigations and Review Commissioner
- Quality Meat Scotland
- Risk Management Authority
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
- Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
- Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
- Scottish Enterprise
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) *
- Scottish Funding Council
- Scottish Futures Trust
- Scottish Land Commission
- Scottish Legal Aid Board
- Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
- Scottish Natural Heritage *
- Scottish Qualifications Authority
- Scottish Social Services Council
- Skills Development Scotland
- sportscotland
- VisitScotland *
- Water Industry Commission for Scotland
No open data found.
- General Teaching Council for Scotland
- Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
- Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland
- Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland
- Public Transport Users Committee for Scotland
- Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards
- Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board
- Scottish Law Commission
- Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee
No open data found.
- Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland
- First-tier Tax Tribunal for Scotland
- Lands Tribunal for Scotland
- Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland
- Parole Board for Scotland
- Private Rented Housing Panel for Scotland
- Scottish Charity Appeals Panel
- Upper Tax Tribunal for Scotland
No open data found.
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Crown Estate Scotland
- Glasgow Prestwick Airport
- Highlands and Islands Airports
- Scottish Canals
- Scottish Water
Where the items in the list below are starred, it indicates that they have some or all of their open data on the Statistics portal, above. Otherwise, I have found no open data for them.
- Accountant in Bankruptcy *
- Disclosure Scotland
- Education Scotland
- Scottish Prison Service
- Scottish Public Pensions Agency
- Social Security Scotland
- Student Awards Agency for Scotland
- Transport Scotland *
Where the items in the list below are starred, it indicates that they have some or all of their open data on the Statistics portal, above. Otherwise, I have found no open data for them.
- Audit Scotland
- Court of the Lord Lyon
- Drinking Water Quality Regulator
- HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland
- HM Chief Inspector of Prosecution in Scotland
- HM Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland
- James Hutton Institute
- Justices of the Peace Advisory Committee (x6)
- Moredun Research Institute
- Office of the Queen's Printer for Scotland
- Scottish Agricultural College
- Scottish Fire & Rescue Service *
- Scottish Police Authority
- Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments
In addition to the data below, NHS Scotland Information Services Division they have some or all of their open data on the Statistics portal, above.
| Organisation | URL | Datasets | Change | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS Scotland | https://www.opendata.nhs.scot/ | 26 | +6 | O |
There are currently fourteen Health Boards in Scotland.
No open data found.
- NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- NHS Borders
- NHS Dumfries and Galloway
- NHS Western Isles
- NHS Fife
- NHS Forth Valley
- NHS Grampian
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- NHS Highland
- NHS Lanarkshire
- NHS Lothian
- NHS Orkney
- NHS Shetland
- NHS Tayside
There are 30 Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) in Scotland.
No open data found.
- Aberdeen City HSCP
- Aberdeenshire HSCP
- Angus HSCP
- Argyll and Bute HSCP
- City of Edinburgh HSCP
- Clackmannanshire and Stirling HSCP
- Dumfries and Galloway HSCP
- Dundee City HSCP
- East Ayrshire HSCP
- East Dunbartonshire HSCP
- East Lothian HSCP
- East Renfrewshire HSCP
- Falkirk HSCP
- Fife HSCP
- Glasgow City HSCP
- Highland HSCP
- Inverclyde HSCP
- Midlothian HSCP
- Moray HSCP
- North Ayrshire HSCP
- North Lanarkshire HSCP
- Orkney HSCP
- Perth and Kinross HSCP
- Renfrewshire HSCP
- Scottish Borders HSCP
- Shetland Islands HSCP
- South Ayrshire HSCP
- South Lanarkshire HSCP
- West Dunbartonshire HSCP
- West Lothian HSCP
- Western Isles (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) HSCP
Below is a list of the fifteen Universities in Scotland.
So far, I have identified the following data published by two universities (*). These appear to be created for a specific business, reasearch or educational purpose. There appears to be no opendata produced by universities about their business, such as statistical data.
| Organisation | URL | Datasets | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Uni | URL | 255 | O |
| UBDC (Glasgow Uni) | URL | 1027 | 0 |
- Aberdeen
- Abertay
- Dundee
- Edinburgh *
- Glasgow *
- Glasgow Caledonian
- Heriot-Watt
- Napier
- Queen Margaret
- Robert Gordon Uni
- St Andrews
- Stirling
- Strathclyde
- University of Highland and Islands
- University of West of Scotland
There are twenty FE colleges in Scotland. I have found no open data.
- Ayrshire College
- Borders College
- City of Glasgow College
- Dumfries and Galloway College
- Dundee and Angus College
- Edinburgh College
- Fife College
- Forth Valley College
- Glasgow Clyde College
- Glasgow Kelvin College
- Glasgow School of Art
- Leith School of Art
- New College Lanarkshire
- Newbattle Abbey College
- North East Scotland College
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)
- South Lanarkshire College
- West College Scotland
- West Lothian College
This is a great piece of work by ALISS supported by Rory Giani:
| Organisation | URL | Type |
|---|---|---|
| ALISS | http://docs.aliss.org | A |
I created this to support a series of blog posts I am creating about open data in Scotland.
If you spot an error - or missing data - please fork this repo and submit a pull request.
Alternatively email me at mailto: ian_at_codethecity_dot_org with an update.
Ian Watt