Yesterday, Dr. Ian Gibson, Member of Parliament for Norwich North, submitted the following question to Dr. John Reid, the new UK Secretary of State for Health (scroll about 4/5 down the page):
"310. Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that all public funded research is recorded and made freely available to (a) patients, (b) health professionals, (c) the public and (d) members of the scientific community. (127870)"
If this were a bill, it would be the Sabo bill of the UK. But it's just a question. The Secretary's answer might be, "We have no plans." But it's a sign that in the UK, as in the US, the call for open access to government-funded research is moving from the academy to the legislature, where it can become law. Secretary Reid is expected to answer Gibson's question by September 8. (Thanks to Jan Velterop.)
Posted by
Peter Suber at 7/18/2003 08:49:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
