The ICO has met with representives from the Higher Education sector to discuss the implications of Freedom of Information legislation. It was agreed to establish a working group representing the HE sector to work with the ICO in developing sector‐led and sector‐specific guidelines around the issues of research data, teaching materials and IPR. After this work has been concluded, then the group might work with the ICO to inform any proposed amendments to the existing sector publication scheme in order to consider whether a framework for proactive dissemination of research data and /or teaching materials which still protected universities’ necessary interests might be feasible. Research council initiatives around open access might provide a model in these discussions. Details of the Roundtable meeting which took place in London on 29 September 2010 are available on the ICO website at - http://www.ico.gov.uk/.