A number of central government policy initiatives in the UK are encouraging the sharing of information between government and other partners. A relatively large amount of information is available to enhance social inclusion but this data does not always have the detail required to investigate small areas. As a result information sharing of locally generated information is increasing in the UK, particularly for issues such as health and crime where information is not readily available for Local Authorities. Legal and ethical (...) issues associated with sharing locally generated information are frequently perceived as problematical. Examples of methods and protocols to overcome these problems are reviewed. It is possible that the activities of the Cabinet Office Committee on data sharing will act as an incentive for data sharing. However, an equally important catalyst will be commitment and support across UK central government and at the local level by Chief Executives and members to the principles and benefits of information sharing for better informed policymaking. (shrink)