“In June 2009, Nigel Shadbolt and Tim Berners-Lee were appointed as Government Information Advisors to help transform public access to UK Government information. Their work resulted in the launch of data.gov.uk.”
“The Open Data Initiative is a attempt to encourage every government agency and department to open its doors and data to the public so as to create more transparent, participatory and collaborative government.”
http://www.iiea.com/events/the-uk-open-data-initiative—lessons-learnt-and-challenges-for-the-future

Last February I attended an inspiring talk with Nigel Shadbolt of the UK Open Data initiative at the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin. The video from the talk is now online. Its gives a nice overview of the progress of Open Data and Open Government initiatives in the UK.