§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Ordnance Survey ceased publication of its National Atlas map series on a scale of 625,000 showing fundamental economic and social planning data; why it ceased publication; and if he will reconsider its reintroduction using up-to-date data.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe Ordnance Survey ceased to be responsible for publication of the full range of maps at 1:625,000 scale in the national planning series, often referred to as the National Atlas map series, in 1955 when it was decided that publication of new editions of the majority of these specialised maps should become the direct responsibility of their sponsoring Departments. However, four maps in the series—the Route Planning Map, the Physical Map, the Administrative Areas Map and the Outline Map—are considered of sufficient general interest for publication by Ordnance Survey and new editions of these sheets will continue to be produced.
Many of the remainder of these maps are obtainable on purchase from the Map Library of the Department of the Environment while stocks last, or may, of course, be consulted there, though the information on these maps may be out of date. I am not aware of any demand for reintroduction or updating of any of these maps. The financial implications of 221W this would certainly need careful consideration at this time of pressure on resources.