§ (5.52.) MR. ROBY (Lancashire, S.E., Eccles)In moving that the Order of 11th February for appointing a Committee on the Ordnance Survey be discharged, I may, perhaps, say a few words explaining why I do so. I was fortunate enough to obtain the Order for the Committee very early in the Session, and the President of the Board of Agriculture, who was not at the time present, afterwards communicated with me, and said he thought that a Departmental Committee would be more likely to make a speedy and successful inquiry, and he was good enough to consult me as to the terms of Reference. I had great pleasure in acceding to his wish, and I hope the inquiry will lead to a satisfactory result.
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Order [11th February], That a Select Committee on the Ordnance Survey be appointed, be read, and discharged."—(Mr. Roby.)
§ (5.53.) MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)I think my hon. Friend must allow that the proposal he has accepted is a considerable variation from the Order of the House at the beginning of the Session. That Order was to appoint a Committee to inquire into the 137 present management of the Ordnance Survey, and the best mode of accelerating the production of maps and to report thereon, but the reference to the Departmental Committee is of a much more limited character, only dealing with certain specific arrangements for the publication of maps. It may be invidious to decline to allow the hon. Member to withdraw the Order, but I think if he would postpone his present Motion until to-morrow, he might get an assurance from the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Agriculture (Mr. Chaplin) that the evidence given before the Departmental Committee and also its Report shall be made public, at any rate that we should not suffer in that degree by the substitution of a Departmental Committee.
§ Debate adjourned till to-morrow.