Jobs fear as OS printing outsourced

The trade union Prospect expressed "sadness and anger" at the move to switch the print and warehouse functions to private companies.

Prospect negotiator Ben Middleton said: "These cuts will save around 6m over five years at an organisation with a turnover of more than 110m a year – worth about 1 per cent.

"It may seem a small number of jobs at risk compared to what is happening everywhere else, but our members fear this is the thin end of the wedge for the dismantling and dispersal of one of the country's oldest government departments."

An Ordnance Survey spokesman confirmed the proposed move and said: "All staff will be given the opportunity to move to the new service providers under the Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment (TUPE) legislation."