HC Deb 17 June 2004 vol 422 c1031W
Mr. Boris Johnson

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will examine whether there is a conflict of interest in the Government's adviser on geographic information being Chief Executive of the Ordnance Survey. [148478]

Yvette Cooper

Ordnance Survey is a Government Department. As the National Mapping Agency it has an aim, agreed with Government, to satisfy the national interest and customer need for accurate and readily available geospatial data and maps of the whole of Great Britain in the most effective and efficient way.

It is entirely appropriate that the Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey should be adviser to Government on matters of geographic information.

Proposals for a wider advisory panel as recommended by the Select Committee are currently under consideration.