Written question asked by Jacqui Lait (Conservative) on Friday, 5 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 October 2007. It was answered by Iain Wright (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Ordnance Survey: Government Departments

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which Government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies have purchased licences to use the Ordnance Survey Pictometry product.

Answer: Pictometry® is not an Ordnance Survey product.BLOM Aerofilms Ltd., a private sector company, has the rights to market a Pictometry product in the United Kingdom. The product combines BLOM Aerofilms’s oblique aerial imagery with viewing software patented by an American company, Pictometry International Corp.Ordnance Survey has a non-exclusive commercial agreement with BLOM Aerofilms to act as an authorised reseller of Pictometry of Great Britain. Information on sales of licences to use Pictometry within the United Kingdom is commercially sensitive to BLOM Aerofilms Ltd., given that there are other commercial providers of potentially competing products.

Secondary information