§ 20. Mr. Channonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that the map section of his Department is sufficiently large to carry out the increased duties required of it since 1st June, 1960.
§ Mr. J. AmeryMy right hon. Friend is satisfied that the Directorate of Overseas Surveys can meet all reasonable demands made of it.
§ Mr. ChannonIn that case, can my hon. Friend assure us that in future, when maps are promised in a White Paper, they will be available in time for hon. Members to consider them?
§ Mr. AmeryIt was not the fault of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys, because it was not actually asked to do so. It was thought that it would be more convenient for Members to have smaller scale maps which could be held in the hand and which yet showed a good deal of detail. To give my hon. Friend some idea of the size of the large-scale maps—for the Akrotiri sovereign base area there are 10 sheets of large-scale maps, over 80 air photographs, which can only be fully understood with the help of a stereoscope, and three pages of verbal descriptive matter. One set of photographs and descriptive matter would together weigh 30 1b.—heavier than an ordinary fish extracted out of Lake Kelvedon.
§ Mr. ChannonIn that case, perhaps my hon. Friend will explain why they were promised in the White Paper, since there was no intention of carrying out the promise?
§ Mr. AmeryThe bound copies of the maps have been laid in the Library. What was promised in advance of the debate was the small maps which were in the hands of hon. Members.
§ 21. Mr. Channonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the annual cost of administering the map section of his Department.
§ Mr. J. AmeryThe estimated gross cost of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys in 1960–61 is £793,200.
§ Mr. ChannonWould not my hon. Friend agree that that enormous estimate is sufficient to cover the cost of producing maps for hon. Members before two o'clock in the afternoon on the day of a debate?
§ Mr. AmeryI do not think that the maps my hon. Friend has in mind would have been of great assistance to him in the debate.