Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) provides "briefings on public policy issues related to science and technology." One of the most recent briefings (PostNote 397, Jan 2012) highlights some of the current discussions around making scientific publications and research data openly available for consultation and re-use. The paper explains the green and gold routes to providing open access to scientific publications, briefly assessing their pros and cons; it also points up some key issues for research data management including data protection and IPR, the need for data management plans and the importance of assessing which data should be preserved for future re-use. The paper suggests OA could become a formal part of REF in 2020.
A useful overview of the area:
Open Access to Scientific Information - http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/POST-PN-397
