UCDx was set up to act as an advocate for, and possibly the future governance body of, new digital infrastructure for User Control of trustworthy personal Data (UCD). UCD is designed to provide functionality which, 25 years after use of the internet became common, it still missing at scale. Examples include enabling an individual to: -aggregate digital qualifications from multiple different learning providers, and show a selection when applying to new learning providers or a potential employer -delegate authority for management of personal data, and personal affairs, to another individual -share proof of student status, issued digitally by a learning provider, in order to claim merchant discounts -share proof of age - issued digitally by, say, a learning provider - to merchants for age restricted purchases -share proof of official identity, issued by government or an identity provider, with a bank to open a new account -and many more. UCDx’s contribution to this field is to propose innovative and coherent approaches for development funding, operating business model, organization model, governance model, and route to scale. Development in the field is active, under the umbrella of (i) Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s United Kingdom Digital Verification Services Trust Framework (TF); (ii) the Cabinet Office’s work on the proposed digital ID scheme; and (iii) the Bank of England’s work on retail payment innovation. UCD can be seen as a potential new ‘scheme’ linked to the TF, and has already garnered significant expert support, including from InnovateUK. Should UCD succeed, the social benefit will be considerable: new applications to fill gaps in the digital infrastructure, coupled with greater convenience and privacy for individuals and lower costs for organizations. UCDx envisages that individuals will be invited to choose a digital-wallet from a range of providers, and then use their new account to interact with many different counterparties, both organizations and other individuals. The word ‘interact’ here means register with, single-sign-on-to, communicate with, gather trustworthy data from, and share such data and – where necessary – pay. The lead application is a Portable Personal Qualification Record (PPQR), to be used as a point in the cloud from which learners can interact with learning providers (and other learners), and transition between them, and into employment, releasing appropriate trustworthy personal data at each step. The likely providers of the wallets are either (i) offshoots of the retail banks, and /or (ii) identity service providers as certified against DSIT’s UK Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework. BigTech may join in as well, provided they observe the requirements for wallet interoperability and portability. The new infrastructure will be governed by a public interest entity, possibly UCDx, possibly government directly. Other applications at launch, in addition to comms, are low-value payment, and sharing of proof-of-age /proof-of-student-status attributes. Many other applications will be added as scale is achieved, such as user control of 'official identity', the DBS attribute, a financial dashboard, and even multi-merchant loyalty points schemes. The UCDx website (at ucdx.org.uk) gives an overview. The business model relies upon periodic per capita relationship fees as a replacement for payment transaction fees. Development funding is likely to be provided from a mix of public and private sources. Banks may well contribute the greater part in order to avoid being unable to provide services expected by their customers. Put otherwise, the banks that commit early will find the entry ticket is low cost; those that delay until critical mass is in sight will pay much more.

UCD is potential new national digital infrastructure which could touch everyone’s lives. So there are plenty of stakeholders, and it is important that we prioritize. But progress is slow. Recent communications include those with: -Education sector – secretary of state @ DfE, selected universities, Jisc, Skills England (now overseen by DWP) -Cabinet Office / DSIT – team working on digital ID -HM Treasury / FCA – application to Innovation Pathways programme -Potential providers of digital wallets Discussions with these stakeholders have continued throughout the 24/25 financial year. Progress is slow. We persist.

No remuneration was received from UCDx by any of the four directors. However note that: -Much of the necessary development work for UCDx was carried out by one of the directors, John Harrison, who also serves as director of PIB-d Ltd www.pib-d.net, a joint venture part owned privately and part by the UK’s HE and FE sectors, as represented by Jisc. -The costs for John Harrison’s time, and for the development of the UCDx website, were donated gratis by PIB-d Ltd (of which more below), whence UCDx remains a dormant company. -UCDx does not yet have its own bank account, and does not keep accounts. In consequence, the attached statement of accounts shows a complete set of nul balances. -If the UCD proposal is accepted: -UCDx itself will be staffed by a wider group of public-interest directors and staff, with costs paid in part from the public purse, and in part by organizations participating in the infrastructure PIB-d hopes to become the development company that wins a concession contract from UCDx and – by that time – expects to be part owned by the first digital wallet providers. But note that PIB-d will compete for the contract fairly and openly:

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration