Register of Data Holdings
The Data Office maintains a register of the principal data holdings of every department and network service of the Velocity Interoperability Network. The register records what data each body holds, whether or not that data has been published, so that anyone can see what exists before deciding whether to download it from the open data catalogue or to request it.
For each holding the register records the controlling body, a description of the data, its classification, the period for which it is retained and its publication status. The register was compiled during the transition period from 10 August to 5 September 2026 from returns made by every department and network service, and each body is required to notify the Office of any new holding, or any change to an existing one, within twenty working days.
The register at establishment. The figures below record the register as it stood on 6 September 2026.
- 212
- Data holdings recorded in the register at establishment
- 63
- Departments and network services recorded as controllers
- 16
- Holdings published in whole or in part in the open data catalogue
- 74
- Holdings classified as containing personal information
Classification. Every holding is assigned one of four classifications by its controlling body, reviewed by the Office. The classification determines whether the data is published, published in aggregated form, or released only under agreement.
- Open
- Data that contains no personal information and no information whose release would prejudice security, law enforcement or commercial confidence. Open holdings are published in the catalogue or scheduled for publication.
- Open, aggregated
- Data that contains personal or commercially confidential information at the level of individual records but whose principal value lies in aggregate: counts, volumes and totals by period, place or category. The aggregated form is published once the controlling body has confirmed that it identifies no person or supplier; the record-level data is released only under a data sharing agreement.
- Restricted
- Data whose release would prejudice security, law enforcement, the conduct of proceedings or commercial confidence. Restricted holdings are not published and are released only under a data sharing agreement for a stated purpose.
- Personal
- Data that relates to identifiable individuals and is held for the administration of their affairs. Personal holdings are not published at the level of individual records; summary statistics derived from them may be published where the controlling body has confirmed that no individual can be identified. Individuals may request a copy of the data held about themselves; other release requires a personal data sharing agreement.
Of the 212 holdings, 61 are classified as open, 39 as open in aggregated form, 38 as restricted and 74 as personal. The eighteen datasets published in the catalogue at establishment are drawn from sixteen holdings: eleven classified as open, three published in aggregated form and two as summary statistics. The remaining 50 open holdings are scheduled for publication or awaiting confirmation from the controlling body that they can be released.
Principal holdings. The table below lists eighteen of the principal holdings recorded in the register. The full register, with a description of each holding, is published as a dataset in the catalogue and is updated as notifications are received.
| Holding | Controlling body | Classification | Retention | Publication status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Register of member organisations | Member Registry | Open | Permanent | Published |
| Staff establishment records | Civil Service Commission | Personal | 6 years after leaving | Statistics scheduled |
| Citizen registration records | Citizenship Office | Personal | Permanent | Not published |
| Identity credentials and sign-in logs | Identity Service | Personal | Logs: 12 months | Not published |
| Passport and visa applications | Immigration Department | Personal | 10 years after decision | Statistics scheduled |
| Border crossing records | Immigration Department | Open, aggregated | 5 years | Published (weekly volumes) |
| Clinic attendance and health records | Health Department | Personal | As required by clinical practice | Statistics published |
| Budget and expenditure ledgers | Treasury Department | Open | Permanent | Published |
| Tax returns and assessments | Revenue Office | Personal | 7 years | Statistics scheduled |
| Court case files | Justice Department | Restricted | Permanent | Not published |
| Police incident and investigation records | Police Department | Restricted | Permanent | Not published |
| Contracts and tender submissions | Procurement Office | Open, aggregated | 7 years after completion | Published (awards above threshold) |
| Spectrum assignment register | Communications Department | Open | Permanent | Published |
| Environmental monitoring readings | Environment Department | Open | Permanent | Published |
| Weather station observations | Meteorological Office | Open | Permanent | Published |
| Electoral register | Elections Commission | Personal | Superseded on revision | Statistics published |
| Pension scheme membership records | Pension Service | Personal | Life of member plus 6 years | Statistics scheduled |
| Archived records of departments | National Archive | Open | Permanent | Catalogue scheduled |
A holding marked as published may be published in whole or in part: for example, the Immigration Department's border crossing records are published as weekly volumes by crossing point, not as individual records. The description of each published dataset states exactly what is included.
Retention periods are set by the controlling body under its own records management rules and are recorded here for information. Data that has passed its retention period is destroyed or transferred to the National Archive, and the register is updated accordingly.
Questions about an entry in the register, or about a holding not listed, may be sent to contact@data.gov.vin. The standards that govern how holdings are described are on the Data Standards page; the terms under which restricted and personal data may be shared are on the Licensing and Reuse page.