§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list 65W the names of any learned societies or professional bodies which have made representations to him concerning the future of the Ordnance Survey, marking those he consulted before his policy statement of last February.
§ Mr. Graham PageMy right hon. and learned Friend's announcement of 19th February of new aims of the Ordnance Survey concerned reviews to be undertaken and changes in practice; there were no prior consultations outside Government for that paving statement. Since that announcement, all professional bodies and learned societies known to have an interest in Ordnance Survey products and services have been consulted in connection with one or more of the reviews which have been taking place. There has been a very helpful high level of response.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference, membership, and who is the Chairman of his Departmental Committee on the Ordnance Survey, and if he will now place a copy of its Report in the Library of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe committee in question carried out a management review of the organisation and operations of the Ordnance Survey. It was composed entirely of officials and in accordance with the usual practice I will not state names. It is not the intention of my right hon. and learned Friend to publish their report.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of organisations which were sent consultation papers and questionnaires relating to publication of the 1:25,000 map; large scale maps; and the tertiary system of levelling, distributed by the Ordnance Survey between February and April last, and when he intends to publish the results of the replies received.
§ Mr. Graham PageOrdnance Survey consulted 133 organisations on the use which they made of 1:25,000 scale maps. Questionnaires on tertiary levelling and large-scale maps were sent to 2,292 bodies. There has been a high level of response giving the detail that was being sought.
66WAs a result of these consultations and others within Government my right hon. and learned Friend has announced his decision that the Ordnance Survey should continue to publish full national coverage of maps at the 1:25,000 scale and that the tertiary levelling programme should continue. Consultation is not yet complete on the criterion for deciding the areas where the basic scale of survey should be 1:2,500 rather than 1:10,000.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent steps he has taken to investigate methods of increasing sales of Ordnance Survey maps, particularly the 1:25,000 scale.
§ Mr. Graham PageSince the Ordnance Survey resumed wholesale distribution of small-scale maps in January 1971 it has investigated new methods of increasing map sales. The number and type of retail outlets are being considerably extended, and now include motor accessory shops, gift shops, hotels, garages and caravan and camping sites. For example, 2½-inch maps are on sale on an experimental basis at two youth hostels in Devon. Press advertising, point of sale advertising and display have all been stepped up substantially.
As a result, since 1971 there has been about a 40 per cent. increase in the volume of sales of 2½-inch, 1-inch and smaller scale series compared with the sales for the previous two-year period.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the number of sheets (100 km square) of the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map series, the number printed in the 2nd Edition, the number of sheets out of print, and the current arrangements for revising the map series and any changes planned for that procedure.
§ Mr. Graham PageTotal map cover of Great Britain at 1:25,000 scale would require about 2,670 sheets on a 100 sq. km. format. The First (Provisional) Series consists of 1,864 sheets (mainly 100 sq. km.); 159 sheets of the Second Series, mostly based on a 200 sq. km. format, have been published since the series started in 1965. These sheets are equivalent to 291 sheets on a 100 sq. km. basis.
67WNo sheets in either series are out of print. There is, however, always a small number of sheets, about 30 at any one time, which may be being reprinted and thus may not be available for immediate dispatch to retailers. Reprinting takes about three weeks.
It is envisaged that full revision of a map in the Second Series will only be done at intervals of 15–20 years; since the oldest map in the series was published eight years ago there is no revision programme. The procedure for revision of maps at this scale is one of the matters to which consideration will be given following the review of the use made of this series of maps.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will, in pursuit of his objective of selling more Ordnance Survey maps, pursue the suggestion of Mr. Robert Beckinsale and investigate the possibilities of sale of certain local sheets of Ordnance Survey maps from certain local post offices.
§ Mr. Graham PagePreliminary discussions have already been held between the Ordnance Survey and the Post Office about the distribution of Ordnance Survey maps through main post offices. There are many examples of sub-post offices run in conjunction with newsagents or stationery businesses which sell Ordnance Survey maps. Every effort is made to encourage such sub-post offices to stock a range of maps, including the 2½-inch series.