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The cost of government: what does the new transactions data really tell us? The cost of government: what does the new transactions data really tell us?
(7 days later)
We all interact with the government almost every day, often in tiny ways. For the first time, we have some idea of what it costs.We all interact with the government almost every day, often in tiny ways. For the first time, we have some idea of what it costs.
For instance, every time you pay your road tax, it costs the government £1.28 to process each of the 46,012,000 applications in the latest data. When you think the average road tax will cost you over £100 then you can see why it is such an earner for the Treasury. Passport applications are a bit more expensive though - each of the 5,400,000 a year costs £65 to process. At a basic cost of £72.50 for an adult, there's not much profit left over. The biggest transaction is one you may never have heard of - the Stamp Duty Reserve Tax which is levied on share dealings. A totally digital service it costs just 5p for each of the 438m transactions processed. For instance, every time you pay your road tax, it costs the government £1.28 to process each of the 46,012,000 applications in the latest data. When you think the average road tax will cost you over £100 then you can see why it is such an earner for the Treasury. Passport applications are a bit more expensive though - each of the 5,400,000 a year costs £65 to process. At a basic cost of £72.50 for an adult, there's not much left over for this non-profit service. The biggest transaction is one you may never have heard of - the Stamp Duty Reserve Tax which is levied on share dealings. A totally digital service it costs just 5p for each of the 438m transactions processed.
The Cabinet Office, which, under Francis Maude is pushing the open data agenda inside Whitehall, released the detailed transaction data for government last night. Last year we had found out just how many of these there were; now we know how much a few of them cost.The Cabinet Office, which, under Francis Maude is pushing the open data agenda inside Whitehall, released the detailed transaction data for government last night. Last year we had found out just how many of these there were; now we know how much a few of them cost.
And it is only a few. The Cabinet Office asked departments to cost transactions when the volume went over 750,000. That is 59 transactions. Of those, 44 were supplied (which is only 12% of the total number detailed but a impressive 78% of those they asked for). That leaves 15 which were not released.And it is only a few. The Cabinet Office asked departments to cost transactions when the volume went over 750,000. That is 59 transactions. Of those, 44 were supplied (which is only 12% of the total number detailed but a impressive 78% of those they asked for). That leaves 15 which were not released.
And the worst offender? The massive Department for Work and Pensions, which is Britain's biggest spending government department and administers benefits. So, for instance we have no idea how much it costs to process each of the 40m Jobseeker's allowance signing ons or to administer the benefit's 3.4m claims. The Department is responsible for 48,704,000 transactions in the high volume list alone - and we don't know the cost of any of them.And the worst offender? The massive Department for Work and Pensions, which is Britain's biggest spending government department and administers benefits. So, for instance we have no idea how much it costs to process each of the 40m Jobseeker's allowance signing ons or to administer the benefit's 3.4m claims. The Department is responsible for 48,704,000 transactions in the high volume list alone - and we don't know the cost of any of them.
Others we know little about are the costs of running the Rural Payments Agency's Cattle Tracing System, which monitors births and deaths of livestock or how much it costs the Ministry of Justice to organise the 4.6m prison visit appointments it handles each year.Others we know little about are the costs of running the Rural Payments Agency's Cattle Tracing System, which monitors births and deaths of livestock or how much it costs the Ministry of Justice to organise the 4.6m prison visit appointments it handles each year.
Next year the Cabinet office will start asking departments for the costs of every transaction - but handily there's an FOI application form on the transaction explorer so maybe Datablog readers can start demanding to know how their money is being spent.Next year the Cabinet office will start asking departments for the costs of every transaction - but handily there's an FOI application form on the transaction explorer so maybe Datablog readers can start demanding to know how their money is being spent.
As the Economist points outAs the Economist points out
A digital transaction is generally 20 times cheaper than one by phone, 30 times cheaper than a postal transaction and 50 times cheaper than a face-to-face transaction, the Cabinet Office estimates. Yet only half of all government services are available onlineA digital transaction is generally 20 times cheaper than one by phone, 30 times cheaper than a postal transaction and 50 times cheaper than a face-to-face transaction, the Cabinet Office estimates. Yet only half of all government services are available online
The full data we have is below - do you think it heralds a new age of improved government open data? And what can you do with it?The full data we have is below - do you think it heralds a new age of improved government open data? And what can you do with it?
Data summaryData summary
Government department transactions detailedGovernment department transactions detailed
Click heading to sort table. Download this dataClick heading to sort table. Download this data
SOURCE: CABINET OFFICESOURCE: CABINET OFFICE
High volume transactions detailedHigh volume transactions detailed
Click heading to sort table. Download this dataClick heading to sort table. Download this data
SOURCE: CABINET OFFICESOURCE: CABINET OFFICE
Download the dataDownload the data
• DATA: download the full spreadsheet
• SOURCE: CABINET OFFICE		• DATA: download the full spreadsheet
• SOURCE: CABINET OFFICE
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