We are in Phase 2 of the public pilot for the SLD, which runs till 8 September. I am a Phase 2 trial user.

As to the remaining timetable, Tony Hopkins, head of the SPO, reports:

The last phase (3) of the pilot is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2006. This will be followed by a formal Evaluation process which takes around three weeks to complete. Providing no other issues arise, then we could be live by the end of November or the beginning of December.

We are working on the commercial strategy at the moment and it will be a couple of months before we have a clear cut business model.

I’m happy for you to discuss the system with others but it would be nice if you could let us have your comments first before you go public with them. We really do value the comments that you will have and the pilot gives us an opportunity to get early feedback. If you have specific people in mind, then I’d be interested in learning whether or not they would be willing to become pilot users for the third phase.

So, it finally, finally looks like you will have the SLD by Christmas. There are issues concerning the completeness of the data and the consolidation of 2006 amendments to primary legislation. There will also be many aspects of the interface which we would like to see improved or otherwise changed. However, these need not delay the project and can be addressed once the SLD is released for public consumption. Meantime, if you are keen to see the SLD and contribute to its development, email tony.hopkins [at] dca.gsi.gov.uk to request you be addedas aPhase 3 user. Some supporting credentials would probably help.