Gavin is a freelance consultant working on data policy, research and advocacy.
He is an associate at the Institute for Government, where he runs the Data Bites event series and was previously programme director for data and digital government, also leading the IfG’s Whitehall Monitor project which makes extensive use of government open data; an associate at Connected by Data; and a member of the Public Digital network. As a consultant he has worked for other organisations including mySociety, the Ada Lovelace Institute, the Royal Statistical Society, and Full Fact.
Before joining the IfG, he was political adviser on culture, media and sport to Rt Hon Harriet Harman KC MP, and before that, senior editor at the Media Standards Trust and deputy director of the Orwell Prize. He is a trustee of the Orwell Foundation, a member of the UK Open Government Network steering group and a member of HM Treasury’s User and Preparers Advisory Group for government financial reporting, and has also served Administrative Data Research UK and the Office for Statistics Regulation in advisory roles.
In February 2021, he joined the ODI Policy team as a Special Adviser. From November 2022, he will be stewarding the ODI’s Policy Team until a new Head of Policy is appointed in spring 2023.
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Blog 07/02/2023
Data access and the Online Safety Bill
- Policy
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jack Hardinges
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Blog 28/07/2022
Asimov and data mirrors
- Policy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Julie King
- Lucas Stiglich
- Matt Davies
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Reports 12/04/2022
Data literacy and the UK government [report]
- Policy
- Skills and literacy
- Dr Dave Tarrant
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Violeta Mezeklieva
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Consultation response/call for evidence, News 23/11/2021
The ODI responds to the UK government’s consultation on proposed reforms to data protection
- Data ethics and privacy
- Policy
- Deborah Yates
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Lisa Allen
- Lucas Stiglich
- Matt Davies
- Olivier Thereaux
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Blog, Consultation response/call for evidence 17/11/2021
Outline of the ODI’s draft response to the UK data protection consultation
- Data ethics and privacy
- Policy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Lisa Allen
- Lucas Stiglich
- Matt Davies
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Blog, Consultation response/call for evidence 11/11/2021
Expert perspectives on the UK data protection consultation
- Data ethics and privacy
- Data publishing and use
- Deborah Yates
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Lisa Allen
- Lucas Stiglich
- Matt Davies
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Blog 29/10/2021
Spending Review 2021: Investing in data to build back better
- Data infrastructure
- Policy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Lucas Stiglich
- Matt Davies
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Blog 13/10/2021
Putting government data on the map
- Data ethics and privacy
- Data infrastructure
- Policy
- Science and research
- Skills and literacy
- Gavin Freeguard
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Reports 13/10/2021
Mapping data in the UK government [report]
- Data ethics and privacy
- Data infrastructure
- Policy
- Science and research
- Skills and literacy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Julie King
- Lisa Allen
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ODI project
'Data: a new direction’ – the UK government’s new data protection regime
- Data ethics and privacy
- Deborah Yates
- Diana Szasz
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Julie King
- Lisa Allen
- Olivier Thereaux
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Blog 09/09/2021
Mapping data in the UK government: engagement
- Innovation
- Policy
- Deborah Yates
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jack Hardinges
- Jeni Tennison
- Julie King
- Lisa Allen
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Blog 02/09/2021
Mapping data in the UK government: ethics
- Data ethics and privacy
- Policy
- Deborah Yates
- Dr Dave Tarrant
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Julie King
- Lisa Allen
- Olivier Thereaux
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Blog 25/08/2021
Mapping data in the UK government: equity
- Data infrastructure
- Innovation
- Policy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Josh D'Addario
- Lisa Allen
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Blog 20/08/2021
Mapping data in the UK government: innovation
- Data infrastructure
- Innovation
- Policy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Orsola De Marco
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Blog 12/08/2021
Mapping data in the UK government: capability
- Policy
- Skills and literacy
- Dr Dave Tarrant
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Lisa Allen
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Blog 05/08/2021
Mapping data in the UK government: infrastructure
- Data infrastructure
- Policy
- Deborah Yates
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Lisa Allen
- Olivier Thereaux
-
ODI project
National Data Strategy: Help us map who is responsible for data in government
- Data ethics and privacy
- Data infrastructure
- Policy
- Science and research
- Skills and literacy
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Lisa Allen
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Blog 17/02/2021
Think global, act local: highlights from our spring 2021 policy plans
- Covid-19
- Data infrastructure
- Policy
- Cities
- Alan Walker
- Dr Mahlet (Milly) Zimeta
- Gavin Freeguard
- Jeni Tennison
- Mark Boyd