HC Deb 06 December 1976 vol 922 cc26-7W
Mr. Pardoe

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the annual profit or loss of the Ordnance Survey in the last year before the recent rise in copyright fees; and what extra revenue he expects the new fees to engender.

Mr. Guy Barnett

For the financial year 1975–76 the total costs of the Ordnance Survey were £23,565,000 and the total receipts from sales, services and copyright fees was £7,853,000, the balance of £15,712,000 being borne by the Exchequer. Revenue from copyright fees in 1975–76 was £1,547,000, and it is currently expected that the increase in such revenue in 1976–77 will be about £1.1 million.

Mr. Pardoe

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the extra revenue to the Ordnance Survey which will arise from the increase in the copyright fee charged for the reproduction of the Survey's maps in local authority tourist guides/maps.

Mr. Guy Barnett

This revenue would be included in the figure of £1.1 million quoted in the reply to the hon. Member's Question today. It is not possible to separate the element of the extra revenue deriving from local authority tourist guides/maps but it is likely to be a very small proportion of the increase.

Mr. Pardoe

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the additional cost to the producer of 120,000 tourist guides/maps a year as a result of the increase in the Ordnance Survey's copyright fee from 0.05 pence per guide/map to 0.8 pence.

Mr. Guy Barnett

On a print run of 120,000 copies the additional royalty charge would be £900 plus VAT.