Welcome to Defra Data Services Forum

Please check the metadata for the dataset you are downloading.  This will usually state which licence and permissions you need to check before using the data.

Open Government Licence

If the dataset is marked as available to use under an Open Government Licence then you can click on the link within the metadata or check the terms of this licence here: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Environment Agency Conditional Licence

If the data is available for use under an Environment Agency Conditional Licence, then you will need to check which conditions and warnings apply: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-conditional-licence/environment-agency-conditional-licence

Ordnance Survey licence

If the data is marked as available for use under an Ordnance Survey licence, see here for the licence details.

Rural Payments Agency Land Parcels, Land Covers and Hedge Control datasets

Licence details for the above datasets are available here.

If no specific licence is named in the metadata

Where no specific licence is named in the metadata, the licence terms can vary as follows:

Defra staff, and bodies which are part of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA)

If you are registered on the Defra Data Services Platform as:

• Defra-body Staff
• PSGA

re-use of this dataset is permitted under the Environment Agency Conditional licence:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-conditional-licence/environment-agency-conditional-licence

Environment Agency partners and contractors

If you are registered on the Defra Data Services Platform as:

• WFD/CaBA/IDB partner
• Defra-body contractor

and you require the downloaded data to fulfil a contract with the Environment Agency, or if your work supports the achievement of the Environment Agency’s statutory functions, re-use of this dataset is permitted under the Environment Agency Conditional Licence:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-conditional-licence/environment-agency-conditional-licence

Partners and contractors of other Defra bodies

If you are registered on the Defra Data Services Platform as:

• WFD/CaBA/IDB partner
• Defra-body contractor

and you require the downloaded data to fulfil a contract with a Defra body other than the Environment Agency, or if your work supports the achievement of this body’s statutory functions, then you must contact them to acquire a licence before the data can be used.

Licensing data for contractor use:

We are sometimes asked to supply data to contractors of another organisation, such as a water company or a local authority.  We cannot supply data to them, via the DSP or directly. We license the contracting organisation, and they need to sub-license the data to their contractor (any legal risk is borne by the contracting organisation).

 If you are unsure which licence applies to you, please contact us for advice via the Forum.