§ Ms KellyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when a quinquennial review of Ordnance Survey will be conducted. [151233]
§ Ms Beverley HughesAll executive agencies and non-departmental government bodies are subject to a review of their organisation every five years to examine and recommend the most appropriate organisation for delivering the functions and services currently carried out by the Department.
The last such review of Ordnance Survey reported in 1994 and recommended that Ordnance Survey should continue to deliver its functions and services as an executive agency and Government Department in its own right.
A Quinquennial Review of Ordnance Survey was due to take place in 1999. However, the Secretary of State at that time agreed that the review should be postponed until now to allow for Ordnance Survey's new trading fund status to bed in.
The review of Ordnance Survey commences today and is expected to last for three months. The review team, CMG Admiral, has been appointed following a competitive tendering process. A steering group, chaired 221W by the principal finance officer of my Department, will oversee the review and recommendations will be made to me in due course. I will report back to the House on its findings before the summer recess.
The review process will provide extensive opportunities for consultation with internal and external stakeholders and will follow the procedures recommended in the guidance for the review of executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies published by the Cabinet Office.