§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he will state to the House the terms of Reference to the Departmental Committee on the Ordnance Survey; and whether its Proceedings and Report will be made public?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lancashire, SleafordThe Departmental Committee to which the hon. Member refers has been appointed to inquire into a Report on the present condition of the Ordnance Survey, and especially to consider: (1) What steps should be taken to expedite the completion and publication of the new or revised one-inch map, with or without hills, of the British Isles; (2) what permanent arrangement should be made for the continuous revision and speedy publication of the maps (1/500, towns) 25 inches, six inches, and one inch scales; (3) whether the maps as at present issued satisfy the reasonable requirements 360 of the public in regard to style of execution, form, information conveyed, and price; and whether any improvement can be made in the catalogue and indices. I propose to lay the Report and Proceedings of the Committee upon the Table for publication as a Parliamentary Paper.
§ MR. BUCHANANWill the management of the Survey and the character of the managing staff be included?
§ *MR. CHAPLINNo, Sir.
§ MR. TIMOTHY HEALY (Longford, N.)Does the inquiry extend to Ireland?
§ *MR. CHAPLINYes.
§ MR. FRASER-MACKINTOSHI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in reference to his statement on 22nd February last, he has now received the Report of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the grievances of those employed in the Ordnance Survey, and will lay it upon the Table?
§ MR. FRANCIS EVANS (Southampton)had notice of the following question:—To ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether the Report of the Departmental Committee inquiring into the grievances of the Civil Servants of the Ordnance Survey has yet been completed; and, if so, whether the Report, together with the decision arrived at in relation thereto by the Board of Agriculture, will be laid upon the Table of the House before the Vote on the Estimates for the Survey comes under discussion?
§ *MR. CHAPLINI will answer the question of the hon. Member for Southampton at the same time. I have received the Report of the Departmental Committee to which the hon. Member refers, and the recommendations it contains are now under consideration. I hope to be able to announce the decision before the Vote for the Survey in the Estimates comes under discussion, and in the meantime I will lay the Report on the Table.
§ MR. THOMAS ELLIS (Merionethshire)I beg to ask the President of 361 the Board of Agriculture whet her he is aware of the dissatisfaction existing among Welsh scholars, geologists, and others, with regard to the inaccuracy and incompleteness of the place-names in the Ordnance Survey maps of Wales; and whether he will take steps to secure the aid and co-operation of Welsh scholars to ensure accuracy in the nomenclature of these maps?
§ *MR. CHAPLINI was not aware of the existence of the dissatisfaction to which the hon. Member refers, and I am informed that every Welsh name appearing on the Ordnance Survey maps has, as a matter of fact, received the sanction of a competent Welsh scholar. I am quite aware, however, of the difficult and delicate nature of the subject, and will endeavour to ascertain whether the existing arrangements are capable of improvement. The question, I think, might with advantage be considered by the Departmental Committee now sitting, and I will bring the matter under the consideration of that Committee.