MET OFFICE News
Release issued by The Government News Network on 3 December 2007
An independent
report published tomorrow, 4th December, on the value of the Met
Office's Public Weather Service (PWS) shows that it
contributes at least £614 million to the UK economy, based on just
a small sample of the services it provides. The overall value can
be expected to be many times more than the PWS budget of £83.2 million.
It has been estimated that for every pound spent on the PWS, the
UK economy benefits by over twenty pounds.
The Met Office's PWS provides the forecasts that the UK
depends upon, whether it be providing shipping forecasts, severe
weather warnings for tomorrow, forecasts for the coming winter, or
underpinning the forecasts for the next 100 years.
The report, commissioned by the Public Weather Service Customer
Group (PWSCG), details the value of the services provided by the
Met Office to key groups such as the contingency community which
means that they can take action in your area to minimise the risk
of damage which means that you are and your property is kept safe.
The PWS Customer Group acts on behalf of the public for
free-at-point-of-use weather services. It also acts as a guardian
on behalf of public sector users of the Met Office's
underpinning operational capability. The Met Office are a trading
fund agency of the Ministry of Defence.
Under-Secretary of State for Defence Derek Twigg said: "This
report shows that we are indeed getting excellent value for money
from the PWS, and the Met Office as a whole. The PWS and the Met
Office provide a service which is second to none in helping the UK
understand and make the most of the weather in this country and overseas."
Nick Baldwin, Chair of the PWSCG said: "I welcome the
findings of the report. It clearly shows that the Met
Office's Public Weather Service benefits society in a
significant number of ways. As well as the financial benefit to
the UK economy the Met Office provides a service of incalculable
proportions when it comes to issues such as climate change and
crucially saving lives and protecting property."
Although much is being done to provide an excellent public
forecast service, the PWSCG are not complacent. In the future the
PWSCG will continue to work with the Met Office, its customers and
other stakeholders to assist them in realising even more benefit
in providing more relevant and useful forecasts.
Notes to editors:
* The Met Office is the UK's National Weather Service,
providing 24x7 world-renowned scientific excellence in weather,
climate change and environmental forecasts and severe weather
warnings for the protection of life and property.
* The PWS
Customer Group acts as the customer on behalf of the public for
free-at-point-of-use weather services. It also acts as guardian on
behalf of public sector users of the Met Office's
underpinning operational capability. It reports to the Under
Secretary of State for Defence.
* The PWS is funded primarily
by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of Government. In addition,
the Civil Aviation Authority funds a share of the production of
observations and generic forecast information. The current total
PWS funding is approx. £83 million p.a.
* The PWS funds high
impact weather forecasts, including the National Severe Weather
Warning Service, Gale Warnings and the Shipping Forecast., site
specific forecasts, global pollution forecasts, UK seasonal
forecasts, UK climate records and the National Meteorological
Library and Archive.