The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the body responsible for the operation of His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) and of other public information services of the United Kingdom. The OPSI is part of the National Archives of the United Kingdom and is responsible for Crown copyright.
The OPSI announced on 21 June 2006 that it was merging with the National Archives. The merger took place in October 2006. The OPSI continues to discharge its roles and responsibilities from within the structure of the National Archives.
The Controller of HMSO is also the Director of OPSI. HMSO continues to operate from within the expanded remit of OPSI. The Controller of HMSO also holds the offices of Kings's Printer of Acts of Parliament, King's Printer for Scotland and Government Printer for Northern Ireland.
The Controller of HMSO is appointed by Letters Patent to the office of King's Printer of Acts of Parliament. This office is separate from the functions of OPSI. Historically the role of King's (or Queen's) Printer extended to other official publishing responsibilities, e.g. the rights to print, publish and import the King James Bible and Book of Common Prayer within England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The current holder of this office is Cambridge University Press.
History
HMSO was established as a new department of HM Treasury on 5 April 1786, when John Mayor was appointed as its first superintendent.[1] The creation of the office was a result of the advocacy of Edmund Burke for reforms of the corrupt, expensive and inefficient Royal Household and the Civil Service. Before the establishment of HMSO, the Crown would grant patents (exclusive rights) for the supply of stationery; the patentee could buy these supplies cheaply and then charge highly inflated prices.[2]
At first, HMSO was the agent for various government departments[2] but, from 1822, all government departments were required to buy stationery through the open competitions and tenders operated by HMSO.[1]
HMSO also took over as official publisher for both houses of Parliament from Hansard in 1882.[1][3]
In 1889, HMSO was granted letters patent under which it was appointed as Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament ("printer to Her Majesty of all Acts of Parliament"). These letters patent also appointed the Controller of HMSO as administrator of the rights of Crown copyright. HMSO also took over publication of the London Gazette in the same year.[1][2][3]
In 1986 HMSO celebrated its bicentenary.
Since 1947, it has printed 86 million copies of The Highway Code. It is one of the biggest publishers in the world, having published 9,300 titles last year[when?] and holding 49,000 titles in stock. It produces nearly 600 pages of Hansard and other parliamentary papers overnight, as well as Bills, Acts, white papers, 2.3 million passports a year, 28.2 million pension and allowance books a year, and all sorts of other publications from the British Pharmacopoeia to guides to long-distance footpaths. In the 1980s, the Stationery Office also supplied 1,500 million envelopes a year (at a cost of £11 million) as well as 18 million ball-point pens and 188 million paper-clips.[4]
Most of its publishing functions were privatised in 1996 as a separate company known as The Stationery Office (TSO), but HMSO continued as a separate part of the Cabinet Office. Prior to 1996, it was the publisher of virtually all government material, such as command papers, legislation and official histories. After 1996, the Controller of HMSO remained Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament and retained the role of administering Crown copyright.[1][5]
The privatisation was not the final stage in HMSO's changing role. As part of the implementation of the European Union directive on the re-use of public sector information, it was decided that there was a need for a dedicated body to be the principal focal point for advising on and regulating the operation of public sector information re-use. That new body, created in 2005, is the OPSI.[1][5]
Published works
Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1900). Papers by Command, Volume 105. H.M. Stationery Office. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
Great Britain. Foreign Office; MacDonald, Claude M. (1900). Reports from Her Majesty's minister in China respecting events at Peking: Presented to both houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty, December 1900. Vol. 364 of Cd. (Great Britain. Parliament). H.M. Stationery Office. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
British and Foreign State Papers. Contributor Great Britain. Foreign Office. H.M. Stationery Office. 1905. Retrieved 1 April 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ abcdefOffice of Public Sector Information web site. "The History of Her Majesty's Stationery Office". from the original on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
^ abc"William Sharp - Obituary - The Register". The Times. 28 March 2002. p. 43.
^ ab"Technology: A history of rights". The Guardian. Guardian Technology Pages. 6 September 2007. p. 3. The modern bureaucracy of Crown copyright dates from 1786, with the formation of a new Treasury department, His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). In 1882, HMSO was made the official publisher to both Houses of Parliament, which still retain copyright on official proceedings. In 1889, Queen Victoria granted the controller of HMSO Royal Letters Patent as "printer to Her Majesty of all Acts of Parliament". The Letters Patent appointed the controller to hold Crown copyright. This grant and the office of the Queen's Printer continues today. In 1980, HMSO became a trading fund. In 2000, the government repositioned HMSO to regulate Crown copyright licensing. This role was taken on by the Office of Public Sector Information, now part of the National Archives.
^Richard Boston, "How the Government issues the tissue", The Guardian (London), 2 May 1986, p. 15.
^ ab"Her Majesty's Stationery Office" in Jonathan Law and Elizabeth A. Martin (eds), A Dictionary of Law, Oxford University Press, 2009, via Oxford Reference Online, accessed 5 November 2011.
Further reading
Barty-King, Hugh (1986). Her Majesty's Stationery Office: the story of the first 200 years, 1786–1986. London: H.M.S.O. ISBN0117013048.
External links
eContentplus Thematic Network to support the implementation of the European Directive on Public Sector Information (PSI) Re-use
The (), an OPSI-led community effort to create a UK government linked data service that supports research.
February 04, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Office of Public Sector Information news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Office of Public Sector Information OPSI is the body responsible for the operation of His Majesty s Stationery Office HMSO and of other public information services of the United Kingdom The OPSI is part of the National Archives of the United Kingdom and is responsible for Crown copyright The OPSI announced on 21 June 2006 that it was merging with the National Archives The merger took place in October 2006 The OPSI continues to discharge its roles and responsibilities from within the structure of the National Archives Contents 1 Controller of HMSO and Director of OPSI 2 History 3 Published works 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksController of HMSO and Director of OPSI EditThe Controller of HMSO is also the Director of OPSI HMSO continues to operate from within the expanded remit of OPSI The Controller of HMSO also holds the offices of Kings s Printer of Acts of Parliament King s Printer for Scotland and Government Printer for Northern Ireland By virtue of holding these offices OPSI publishes through HMSO the London Gazette Edinburgh Gazette Belfast Gazette and all legislation in the United Kingdom including Acts of Parliament Acts of the Scottish Parliament and statutory instruments The Controller of HMSO is appointed by Letters Patent to the office of King s Printer of Acts of Parliament This office is separate from the functions of OPSI Historically the role of King s or Queen s Printer extended to other official publishing responsibilities e g the rights to print publish and import the King James Bible and Book of Common Prayer within England Wales and Northern Ireland The current holder of this office is Cambridge University Press History EditHMSO was established as a new department of HM Treasury on 5 April 1786 when John Mayor was appointed as its first superintendent 1 The creation of the office was a result of the advocacy of Edmund Burke for reforms of the corrupt expensive and inefficient Royal Household and the Civil Service Before the establishment of HMSO the Crown would grant patents exclusive rights for the supply of stationery the patentee could buy these supplies cheaply and then charge highly inflated prices 2 At first HMSO was the agent for various government departments 2 but from 1822 all government departments were required to buy stationery through the open competitions and tenders operated by HMSO 1 HMSO also took over as official publisher for both houses of Parliament from Hansard in 1882 1 3 In 1889 HMSO was granted letters patent under which it was appointed as Queen s Printer of Acts of Parliament printer to Her Majesty of all Acts of Parliament These letters patent also appointed the Controller of HMSO as administrator of the rights of Crown copyright HMSO also took over publication of the London Gazette in the same year 1 2 3 In 1986 HMSO celebrated its bicentenary Since 1947 it has printed 86 million copies of The Highway Code It is one of the biggest publishers in the world having published 9 300 titles last year when and holding 49 000 titles in stock It produces nearly 600 pages of Hansard and other parliamentary papers overnight as well as Bills Acts white papers 2 3 million passports a year 28 2 million pension and allowance books a year and all sorts of other publications from the British Pharmacopoeia to guides to long distance footpaths In the 1980s the Stationery Office also supplied 1 500 million envelopes a year at a cost of 11 million as well as 18 million ball point pens and 188 million paper clips 4 Most of its publishing functions were privatised in 1996 as a separate company known as The Stationery Office TSO but HMSO continued as a separate part of the Cabinet Office Prior to 1996 it was the publisher of virtually all government material such as command papers legislation and official histories After 1996 the Controller of HMSO remained Queen s Printer of Acts of Parliament and retained the role of administering Crown copyright 1 5 The privatisation was not the final stage in HMSO s changing role As part of the implementation of the European Union directive on the re use of public sector information it was decided that there was a need for a dedicated body to be the principal focal point for advising on and regulating the operation of public sector information re use That new body created in 2005 is the OPSI 1 5 Published works EditGreat Britain Parliament House of Commons 1900 Papers by Command Volume 105 H M Stationery Office Retrieved 1 April 2013 Great Britain Foreign Office MacDonald Claude M 1900 Reports from Her Majesty s minister in China respecting events at Peking Presented to both houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty December 1900 Vol 364 of Cd Great Britain Parliament H M Stationery Office Retrieved 29 September 2016 British and Foreign State Papers Contributor Great Britain Foreign Office H M Stationery Office 1905 Retrieved 1 April 2013 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link See also Edit United Kingdom portalHistory of the Second World War published by the Office ePSIplus The Stationery Office Anglia Square former headquarters of HMSOReferences Edit a b c d e f Office of Public Sector Information web site The History of Her Majesty s Stationery Office Archived from the original on 3 May 2008 Retrieved 9 June 2008 a b c William Sharp Obituary The Register The Times 28 March 2002 p 43 a b Technology A history of rights The Guardian Guardian Technology Pages 6 September 2007 p 3 The modern bureaucracy of Crown copyright dates from 1786 with the formation of a new Treasury department His Majesty s Stationery Office HMSO In 1882 HMSO was made the official publisher to both Houses of Parliament which still retain copyright on official proceedings In 1889 Queen Victoria granted the controller of HMSO Royal Letters Patent as printer to Her Majesty of all Acts of Parliament The Letters Patent appointed the controller to hold Crown copyright This grant and the office of the Queen s Printer continues today In 1980 HMSO became a trading fund In 2000 the government repositioned HMSO to regulate Crown copyright licensing This role was taken on by the Office of Public Sector Information now part of the National Archives Richard Boston How the Government issues the tissue The Guardian London 2 May 1986 p 15 a b Her Majesty s Stationery Office in Jonathan Law and Elizabeth A Martin eds A Dictionary of Law Oxford University Press 2009 via Oxford Reference Online accessed 5 November 2011 Further reading EditBarty King Hugh 1986 Her Majesty s Stationery Office the story of the first 200 years 1786 1986 London H M S O ISBN 0117013048 External links EditThe Stationery Office website eContentplus Thematic Network to support the implementation of the European Directive on Public Sector Information PSI Re use The OpenPSI project an OPSI led community effort to create a UK government linked data service that supports research Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Office of Public Sector Information amp oldid 1123092082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
