§ Mr. Warrenasked the Minister of Overseas Development what action she is taking to stop the drain of skilled cartographers and photographic staff from the Directorate of Overseas Surveys; how many vacancies there are for basic grade cartographers and photographers; and what effect these vacancies are having on the work of her Department.
§ Mrs. HartI regret the decline in numbers of cartographers and photographers of whom a number left the Directorate last year for a variety of reasons.
There are currently vacancies for 22 basic grade cartographers, three senior photographers and three photographers. The map production capacity of the Directorate is at present reduced by about 20 per cent.
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§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether, in view of her refusal to reconsider the relocation of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys in Scotland, she will now give details of the cost of moving the Directorate, of replacing personnel who have resigned, or who will be resigning, and of training new personnel, both in respect of the current financial year or future years.
§ Mrs. HartThe average cost of recruiting and training cartographers and photographers, including salary, is now about £9,000 each. At current prices the estimated cost by financial years of recruiting and training replacements for the 45 cartographers and photographers who have resigned since 18 November 1977 is:
£ 1978–79 105,000 1979–80 200,000 1980–81 72,000 1981–82 28,000 No information is available concerning future resignations.