Submission + - Conflict of interest extends UK Gov open standards consultation (cabinetoffice.gov.uk)
Rob the Roadie writes: "Following a undeclared relationship between an independent facilitator engaged by Cabinet Office and Microsoft, the UK Government has discounted submissions from round-table discussions and extended the consultation period.
"Dr Hopkirk is a respected advocate for “openness and interoperability of systems, of people, processes and information technologies”. He has in the past, for example, been an invited observer at events such as Open Forum Europe."
However he did not declare that he was advising Microsoft directly on the Open Standards consultation.
"When this came to [the attention of the Cabinet Office] we asked Dr Hopkirk for an explanation and he has told us that he has “not been paid to specifically write their response to the Open Standards consultation but he is engaged to help them tease out the issues”."
The Consultation has been criticised recently for excluding groups from the open source lobby and being too close to the lobbyists of software patent heavyweights. http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2012/04/proprietary-lobby-triumphs-in.html"
"Dr Hopkirk is a respected advocate for “openness and interoperability of systems, of people, processes and information technologies”. He has in the past, for example, been an invited observer at events such as Open Forum Europe."
However he did not declare that he was advising Microsoft directly on the Open Standards consultation.
"When this came to [the attention of the Cabinet Office] we asked Dr Hopkirk for an explanation and he has told us that he has “not been paid to specifically write their response to the Open Standards consultation but he is engaged to help them tease out the issues”."
The Consultation has been criticised recently for excluding groups from the open source lobby and being too close to the lobbyists of software patent heavyweights. http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2012/04/proprietary-lobby-triumphs-in.html"
