Public service management could be transformed by a new national address database planned by the government. The National Spatial Address Infrastructure (NSAI) is intended to be a one-stop solution for the retrieval of address information in both local and national government offices and, if successful, will replace thousands of address databases held by departments.

The NSAI has a lot of potential. For example, benefit offices would view the same address information as census offices, and voter registration would be vastly improved. To this end, the NSAI would help deliver efficient public services services to citizens - surely what eGovernment is all about.

The NSAI must be accurate if it is to be a success. By taking information from both the Ordnance Survey and the National Land and Property Gazetteer, it is hoped that an exhaustive and accurate database can be designed. The Improvement and Development Agency is also involved in the 30 month project. Information on England and Wales will initially be collated for the new database, with the possible inclusion of Scotland and Northern Ireland at a later stage.

Whilst the idea of a central address database is not new (the ‘Acacia’ pilot project was published in late 2003), it will be interesting to see how the NSAI is drawn up and delivered.