The Environment Agency’s National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM), published in January 2025, provides the most up-to-date national assessment of current and future coastal erosion risk in England. It uses the best available evidence, data and modelling, including climate change projections. The Environment Agency intends to update coastal erosion risk datasets on a regular basis.

The Department is working with Natural England to prepare for the review of the conclusive maps of open access land required under section 9A of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Planning for this work is ongoing, including consideration of the arrangements needed to meet the statutory deadline of 1 January 2031. Further details will be announced in due course.

The Department is not currently developing a national Cultural Infrastructure Map. However, extensive work has been undertaken by Arts Council England and Historic England to effectively map the cultural and heritage infrastructure of England. The Arts Council's Culture and Place Data Explorer maps the currently available datasets related to cultural services across the country, including the location of Theatres, Libraries, ACE accredited museums and charitable organisations delivering culture, heritage and science related activities. Additionally Historic England publishes data relating to assets such as heritage sites, heritage at risk and conservation areas. This data can be found on their website. In addition to this the department has undertaken work to map areas of low engagement and underprovision to help in selecting Culture Priority Places. The methodology will be published in due course.

As committed to in the newly published Land Use Framework, Cranfield University and Defra have reached an agreement to develop an open access portal of soil and related environmental data for England and Wales, including the National Soil Map of England and Wales (NATMAP).

The agreement will see a new system launch in Spring 2026, derived from Cranfield’s LandIS (Land Information System), which will give free access to the extensive data. LandIS is a substantial environmental information system operated by Cranfield University, designed to contain soil and soil-related information for England and Wales. It is one of the largest systems of its kind in Europe and is recognised as the definitive source of national soils information in the UK.

The Government recognises the concerns from members across the House that in some cases, the level of mobile coverage reported by Ofcom does not align with users’ experience. Improving the accuracy of coverage data and improving the information available to consumers on the performance of mobile networks in their area remains a priority for the Government.

Government has restated the importance of Ofcom continuing to improve its reporting of mobile coverage in the draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, the management of spectrum and postal services. This includes building on the launch of Map Your Mobile tool in June 2025, by exploring more use of measured and crowdsourced data. It also includes Ofcom keeping under review its definitions of what constitutes “good” 4G and 5G and the signal strength thresholds it uses to measure this, so that these definitions continue to reflect consumer and business expectations as user requirements and behaviours evolve.

Ofcom introduced the feedback function in the Map Your Mobile tool to ensure that consumers who are dissatisfied with the results have a way to register concerns or observations about mobile coverage in their area.

It provides Ofcom with a qualitative source of consumer experience to complement existing data and monitor broad trends over time, such as recurring locations where issues are raised. This remains under review as the dataset grows, Ofcom continue to assess how it can most effectively support their work.

The Government recognises the importance of fast and reliable broadband connectivity across the UK and is committed to identifying and addressing gaps in coverage, in line with our ambition to achieve 99% gigabit broadband coverage by 2032.

Ofcom is responsible for collecting data and reporting on broadband coverage at national, regional, and local levels. This information is already publicly available through their Connected Nations reports and interactive tool, which illustrates via heat maps coverage in nations, local authorities, and constituencies. For consumers, Ofcom also provides a broadband availability address checker.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) uses Open Market Reviews to collect and analyse data from suppliers, to identify which premises are likely to require public subsidy to receive a gigabit-capable connection and uses this information to support delivery of Project Gigabit. The raw data is published by BDUK, with the latest release in January 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/september-2025-omr-and-premises-in-bduk-plans-england-and-wales.

Some third-party websites use the data published by BDUK to produce their own publicly available coverage maps.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is responsible for producing the UK’s maritime navigation charts; the Office operates as an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Defence. The UKHO only charts UK’s marine protected areas where they have an influence on marine navigation and safety of life at sea.

However, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) independently undertakes marine offshore surveys, monitors marine species, and maps marine and seabed habitats in its advisory capacity for Marine Protected Areas in UK waters; the JNCC is a non-executive public body administered by DEFRA.

The government has provided 133 local planning authorities with £70,000 of pump priming funding each to contribute towards the costs of carrying out Green Belt reviews in their areas.

Eligible local authorities submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) form requesting a share of this funding. The EOIs were reviewed, and funding has been awarded.

Further details, along with a list of successful local authorities, can be found on gov.uk here.

It is for individual local planning authorities to undertake the necessary assessments to identify if land is grey belt, either through plan making or through considering specific applications that come forward.

Similarly, it is for authorities to determine whether and how to evidence, justify, amend, and set out Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of statutory plans.

Since 2022-23, Ordnance Survey has published the revenue from paying subscribers to the OS Maps platform and app in its Annual Report and Accounts, and these are set out below.

2022/23: £8.4m

2023/24: £9.5m

The Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-25 will be published in due course and laid before Parliament.

Ordnance Survey is a public corporation, operating on a commercial basis. Ministers meet regularly with the leadership of Ordnance Survey to discuss how the company can support the Government’s priorities.

Ordnance Survey makes its authoritative geospatial data available to the public and private sectors, including individuals, directly and through commercial partners. A free version of the OS Maps app, which uses data that Ordnance Survey makes available under Open Government Licence, is used by over a million people every month. The premium subscription provides additional features and has over half a million active subscribers. It is already freely available to key users such as Mountain Rescue in Scotland, England and Wales.

It is for individual local planning authorities to assess if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans.

On 27 February 2025, Planning Practice Guidance was published to assist local authorities and other decision-makers, and to support a consistent approach to determining whether land is grey belt. It can be found on gov.uk here. This new guidance will support authorities in producing Local Plans, while also making sure that planning applications and development on suitable grey belt land can proceed in the short-term in areas without an up-to-date plan.

The government has also provided 133 local planning authorities with £70,000 of pump priming funding each to contribute towards the costs of carrying out Green Belt reviews in their areas.

Any alteration to a Green Belt boundary is reported to the Department and the details published on gov.uk in our annual Green Belt statistical release. In addition, the Department publishes statistics on land use change, including estimates of new residential addresses created in Green Belt and other categories of land.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to follow the guidance of the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (PCGN) who advise His Majesty's Government on policies and procedures for the representation of geographical names for places and features outside the UK, excluding those of the Antarctic. For names of international maritime features beyond any sovereignty, PCGN usually advises reflecting the common English conventional name, which for this body of water is the 'Gulf of Mexico'.