I saw that story. Obviously, regardless of how they report the data, if they do not know, they do not know. But my thought was that, if there are maps available for everything that is known, that tends to encourage people who do not know to take better control of the assets that they manage.
A discovery project is under way to potentially allow these organisations—these alternative providers—to access NUAR data; LSBUD has been referenced, among others. It attended the last three workshops we conducted on this, which I hope could enable it to adapt its services and business models potentially to mitigate any negative impacts. Such opportunities will be taken forward in future years should they be technically feasible, of value, in the public interest and in light of the views of stakeholders, including asset owners.
A national underground asset register depends on bringing data together from asset owners on to a single standardised database. This will allow data to be shared more efficiently than was possible before. Asset owners have existing processes that have been developed to allow them to manage risks associated with excavations. These processes will be developed in
compliance with existing guidance in the form of HSG47. To achieve this, those working on NUAR are already working closely with relevant stakeholders as part of a dedicated adoption group. This will allow for a safe and planned rollout of NUAR to those who will benefit from it.
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Additionally, I turn to the very proper concerns raised by the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, on safety. I assure the Committee that the NUAR will seek to improve safety, as it will allow us to have access to comprehensive data at our fingertips whenever it may be needed—24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even a single pipe or cable can cause serious injury or death if accidentally damaged. It can also lead to the costly disruption of services to businesses and citizens. It really is important, therefore, that the NUAR includes all data about buried assets.
The NUAR includes a number of safeguards to ensure that data is accessed only for permitted purposes under controlled conditions. This includes access controls, the ability of asset owners to flag particularly sensitive or critical data for redaction, and owners’ ability to specify additional safe working requirements for hazardous sites and assets, such as site supervision. These have been developed in collaboration with asset owners, security experts and the security services.