HC Deb 19 February 1973 vol 851 cc31-3W
Mr. S. James A. Hill

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is in a position to make a statement on the organisation and operation of the Ordnance Survey.

Mr. Rippon

The Government have recently completed a review of the operation of the Ordnance Survey, the products, services and professional standards of which are justifiably held in worldwide esteem. Government decisions now taken as a result of the review imply no criticism of the Ordnance Survey but are aimed at providing a better base than hitherto for fulfilling its national role and meeting its customers' needs with increased effectiveness and efficiency.

The Ordnance Survey will continue to function as the central survey and mapping organisation in the public sector with the following aims:

  1. (i) To produce and to maintain up-to-date basic scale surveys at 1:1,250 for major urban areas, and at 1:2,500 or 1:10,000 for the remainder of the country.
  2. (ii) To make this information available at the basic scales in such forms as may be most appropriate to the needs of users; and additionally, in the case of the 1:10,000 scale, to publish and maintain a uniform series of maps covering the whole country.
  3. (iii) Otherwise to produce and make available up-to-date survey information in various forms appropriate to user needs, the cost of which can be covered by payments from users.
  4. (iv) To seek to maximise returns on all products and services subject to any limitations imposed by Government.

The Ordnance Survey will be encouraged to pursue an enterprising policy in selling its services and products. Overall Exchequer support will be directly related to user needs. A system of trading accounts is being introduced to feed back information to help management and to accord with the greater emphasis being placed on trading operations.

I have also made some other decisions on detailed points which I have authorised the director general to announce. These decisions are in some cases improvements in practice and in others the institution of further inquiries into the provision of maps and services.

A final decision on the appropriate form of financing for the Ordnance Survey will not be taken until further progress has been made with the development of accounting systems and with some of the inquiries into the future scale of provision of maps and services. But one possibility is that the Ordnance Survey might operate as a Government Department with a statutory trading fund.