§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location, the Ordnance Survey triangulation pillars that have currently been adopted; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardResponsibility for this subject has been delegated to the executive agency. I have asked Professor David Rhind, chief executive for the Ordnance Survey to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from David Rhind to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the adoption of Triangulation (Trig) Pillars.
Ordnance Survey has recently completed its assessment of the pillars it needs to maintain as part of its survey control network. We have decided to maintain 1,269 pillars, leaving 4,906 for which we have no further need.
Great interest has been shown by a wide variety of organisations and individuals in adopting single or groups of pillars for voluntary maintenance. We are now starting the process of dealing with these applications and publicising opportunities. This will take some time to complete because, whilst the pillars will remain the property of Ordnance Survey, we have to obtain the permission of the land owners for those adopting pillars to have access.
In short, no pillars have yet been adopted but the process for adoption is now under way. We anticipate this will take several months to complete.
Please let me know if you would like me to supply a list of adopted pillars and their locations when the exercise is over.