§ 3.25 p.m.
§ Lord TEVIOTMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the price policy reviewing body have met to consider the increased royalty charges sought by the Ordnance Survey from the map publishing 422 organisations and, if so, whether they will make a statement.
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, as I said in my reply to the noble Lord on 27th September, extensive discussions have been proceeding within Government about the guidance to be given to Ordnance Survey on its pricing policy. This guidance will cover, inter alia, royalty charges to map publishers. I cannot anticipate any statement on this subject, but I hope that it will be possible to make an announcement early in the New Year.
§ Lord TEVIOTMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Stedman, for that reply. Would she not agree that these charges are based on the supposition that there is copyright in information which, in itself, will create a precedent of the 1956 Copyright Act? Therefore, would it not be better to wait for the result of the Whitford Committee which is reviewing this matter, withholding the increase of 1st January for that reason?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, we went into this in some detail in the debate in June last year. I explained then at some length why the Government did not feel they ought to wait for the report of the Whitford Committee. The Government have seen nothing in the interim period to make them change their mind.