Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the National Underground Asset Register developed by the Geospatial Commission will not affect the financial sustainability of private business that map underground assets and support utility strike avoidance.

Details of the work of the Geospatial Commission are available on their blog page, which includes information on the National Underground Asset Register Pilots.

The UK does not have a comprehensive map of underground utilities which increases the likelihood of dangerous utility strikes (especially for emergency works) and results in significant costs to utility companies, their operators and the wider economy. Any decision to proceed with creating a national register would be announced in the usual way, including invitations to tender for relevant work. Interim findings from the pilots will be published in due course.