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RDS welcomes new member of staff to lead on transformation of data approvals

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Research Data Scotland

23 Aug 2023

Paul Jackson will join Research Data Scotland (RDS) as data approvals transformation lead in October from the HM Courts and Tribunals Service where he is head of data access.

Changes to current data approval arrangements are necessary if more research and innovation is to happen in Scotland in ways that are supported by the public.

The data approvals transformation lead will be responsible for a programme to transform the arrangements for approving use of data in Scotland. They will work with a number of senior stakeholders in partner organisations to refine proposals from a current review of existing practice in Scotland, and to support the implementation of necessary changes.

Paul has a strong track record in data infrastructure and information governance. Prior to his current role, he was Deputy Director for the ESRC funded programme Administrative Data Research UK where he led on research, impact and communications. While at ADR UK, Paul was seconded as the Head of Information Governance at the Joint Biosecurity Centre, where he developed data governance framework for processing for personal health data for NHS Test and Trace. He has also held senior roles at UK Statistics Authority, ONS and was the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives in Bergen, Norway.

Commenting on his appointment, Paul said:

“I am delighted to again be working in such an important and, hopefully, rewarding task. Social and economic policy which serves the public good requires the best possible evidence, so it is essential to improve access to data yet uphold confidentiality and other duties owed by data owners.”

Professor Roger Halliday, Interim CEO of RDS, said:

“Paul joins RDS at a pivotal time and his extensive experience and practical knowledge of the UK’s data infrastructure will be invaluable to help deliver our mission to make it quicker and simpler to do research and improve lives.”

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