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UK Location Strategy (Place Matters)

I am delighted to announce today the publication of ““Place Matters: The Location Strategy for the United Kingdom””, which has been prepared for me by the UK Geographic Information Panel. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The UK location strategy is a thoughtful, authoritative and important document and its recommendations are closely aligned to the delivery of Government policy in many areas. Ministerial colleagues share with me in recognising the reality identified by the strategy that 'everything happens somewhere'. The Government acknowledge that a better understanding of location is an important factor in moving forward the transformational Government agenda. Implementation of the location strategy will maximise the value to the public, Government and UK industry of the use of geographic information. It will provide a consistent framework to assist national, regional and local initiatives and service delivery for the benefit of all our people. Key areas where the location strategy will be of benefit are in policy and operational areas of the public and private sector, where shared and integrated place-based information is essential for decision making. It will also be the basis for delivering the United Kingdom's obligations under the European INSPIRE directive. The Government now wish to build on the progress represented by publication of the location strategy. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has agreed to lead implementation of the location strategy alongside INSPIRE; implementation planning has commenced. Agreement has been reached that the initial phases of implementation will be funded by contributions that will be drawn from key stakeholder Departments across Government. A key early deliverable is the establishment of a UK location council, to be chaired by DEFRA, and I am also pleased to announce that Government have approved the actions necessary to set up the location council. It will continue the excellent work undertaken by the UK Geographic Information Panel, which will now be dissolved. I wish to place on record my thanks to the UK Geographic Information Panel, chaired by Vanessa Lawrence CB, for its excellent work in conceiving, developing and championing the UK location strategy to this point.