§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been employed in each of the last three years by the Royal Navy on coastal charts around Scottish territorial waters; what facilities for map making the Royal Navy maintains in Scotland; how many coastal survey charts have been produced by the Royal Navy for Scottish territorial waters in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [28550]
§ Dr. Reid[holding answer 11 February 1998]: The number of people employed in each of the last 3 years by the Royal Navy on surveys for coastal charts inside the Territorial Waters of the United Kingdom adjacent to Scotland and on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf adjacent to Scotland was:
Year Number of personnel 1995 13 1996 13 1997 140 These figures comprise the complements of the ships and Naval Parties which took part in those surveys. Additionally, in excess of 500 personnel at the UK Hydrographic Office, Taunton, assisted in the compilation and production of charts covering Scottish waters during each year.
There are no facilities for Chart production in Scotland, all such production being carried out centrally at the UK Hydrographic Office at Taunton. The Hydrographer of the Navy maintains a Chart Correction Unit at Faslane which currently employs 4 people.The number of new coastal Charts, and new editions of existing charts, covering UK Territorial Waters adjacent to Scotland which were produced following the surveys referred to above in the last 3 years were:
Year New Charts New Editions 1995 1 8 1996 7 1 1997 14 —