ORDNANCE SURVEY REVIEW COMMITTEE: RECOMMENDATIONS (Hansard, 13 December 1984)

§ Lord Skelmersdale

The Ordnance Survey Review Committee was appointed in January 1978, under the Chairmanship of Sir David Serpell, with the following terms of referenceTaking account of the views of users and other interested parties, in the context of national surveying and mapping needs, to consider and make recommendations about the longer term policies and activities of the Ordnance Survey and ways of financing them". The committee reported in July 1979 and I should like to thank them for their excellent work. However, when the terms of reference were set, it had been assumed that Ordnance Survey would remain a Government department, and therefore the committee's report considered no other structural possibilities. In July 1981 the then Secretary of State for the Environment announced that the long-term future of the survey would be considered against the full range of possible structures whether inside the Civil Service or wholly or partially outside it. Widespread consultations were held and in January this year my right honourable friend announced that he was accepting the Ordnance Survey Advisory Board recommendation that Ordnance Survey should remain a vote funded Civil Service department. He also announced that a detailed response to the Serpell report would be published in 1984.

During the last few years, Ordnance Survey has taken account of the recommendation of Sir David Serpell's committee when formulating its plans and programmes and, as a result, considerable progress has been made. This is reflected in the Government response to the Ordnance Survey Review Committee's report, and copies of that response have been placed in the Library today.

The Government have also decided to increase the resources of Ordnance Survey in 1985/86. This will help Ordnance Survey to implement some of the more important recommendations which have not been implemented to date. In particular there will be increased activity on core tasks and the programme to digitise the Ordnance Survey large-scale maps will be accelerated.

In January, my right honourable friend also announced that a rolling policy and plan for the Ordnance Survey should be prepared and published. This plan has now been approved, and copies have also been placed in the Library today.

The Ordnance Survey has been through a long period of uncertainty about its future and its remit. I am glad that this uncertainty has now ended. Throughout this period, the continued enthusiasm and dedication of both management and staff has been impressive.