HC Deb 05 May 1993 vol 224 cc152-3W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the work of the British Hydrographic Service.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Service is made up of four elements: the Ministry of Defence Hydrographic Department, which is responsible for operational policy on surveying and for planning defence and civil surveys; the Royal Navy Hydrographic Surveying Squadron, which conducts United Kingdom defence surveys and part of the civil survey task; the Ministry of Defence Hydrographic Office Defence Agency, which is responsible for the production of the British Admiralty charts and publications and other professional services to the Ministry of Defence; and the Royal Navy Hydrographic School, where Royal Navy and Foreign and Commonwealth students are given courses accredited by the International Hydrographic Organisation.

The detailed work of all these elements is summarised in the annual report of the Hydrographer of the Navy, which is laid before Parliament and copies of which are placed in the Library.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current and projected future cost of the British Hydrographic Service; and what is the current and proposed future establishment of the service.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a breakdown by size and category of the number of vessels currently operated by the British Hydrographic Service.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The Hydrographic Survey Squadron currently consists of two ocean survey vessels of some 2,500 tonnes; three coastal survey vessels of between 1,400 and 1,100 tonnes; and one inshore survey craft of some 20 tonnes. In addition, the Hydrographic Survey Squadron operates two chartered vessels to undertake civil hydrographic surveys.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the revenue generated in each of the last 10 years by sales of charts and related information by the British hydrographic service (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) to overseas customers.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Hydrographic Office Defence Agency and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from J. A. L. Myres to Mr. Nicholas Winterton, dated 5 Ma) 1993:

1. You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question concerning the revenue generated in each of the last 10 years by sales of charts and related information by the British Hydrographic Service (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) to overseas customers.

2. The Minister has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office, to reply directly to you. The information you require can be found in the attached Annex. In amplification I should like to make two observations. Firstly, the term "charts and related information" has been defined as the sale of charts and hydrographic publications. Secondly, the revenue figures are, for reasons of comparison, expressed on a constant price basis, namely at 1992–93 prices.

3. I should also point out that charts and hydrographic publications are sold through a worldwide network of Admiralty Chart Agents. Whilst we have, on the basis of our invoice returns, been able to differentiate between sales to UK and overseas chart agents, it does not follow that an overseas chart agent will sell only to a user based overseas or vice versa.

I hope this is helpful.

Annex
£ million
Financial Year United Kingdom (1at 1992–93 prices) Overseas (1at 1992–93 prices)
1982–83 7.08 9.38
1983–84 6.91 8.44
1984–85 7.08 8.66
1985–86 5.98 7.91
1986–87 6.22 7.91
1987–88 6.13 8.12
1988–89 6.28 8.79
1989–90 6.77 9.45
1990–91 7.04 10.65
1991–92 8.60 11.11
1992–93 7.58 10.98
1 Calculated using HM Treasury GDP deflator index dated February 1993.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to withdraw vessels operated by the British hydrographic service and for the replacement of such vessels; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The current ships of the Hydrographic survey squadron will be replaced, as this becomes necessary, with chartered vessels with naval crews or parties embarked as appropriate.