HL Deb 03 July 1989 vol 509 cc964-5

2.53 p.m.

Baroness David asked Her Majesty's Government:

What guidance will be given to schools under local financial management on the protection and improvement of book expenditure and what steps will be taken to ensure that the role of school library services is maintained.

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, under local management, each school will decide how much of its delegated budget to spend on books according to its particular needs and priorities. Where a local education authority has a school library service, it will be free to continue to manage that service centrally where it believes this to be most efficient. Where an authority chooses to delegate these resources, the schools themselves will decide whether to continue to support the service.

Baroness David

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer which is moderately satisfactory as regards the school library service. Why, in their information on local financial management, have the Government provided no guidance on the level of school purchase, particularly in view of the Secretary of State's previous statements that he expects that expenditure to rise?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, local financial management in no way affects the overall amount of money available for schools. It simply represents a fairer and more open way of distributing the available resources between schools and ensuring the best match between needs and resources. Evidence from pilot LMS schemes shows schools choosing to spend more rather than less on the direct needs of the classroom, including books.

Baroness David

My Lords, will there be any monitoring? I understand that pilot schools have kept up the level of expenditure—even if it is not high enough—to what it was before. However, there needs to be monitoring, because in the light of the GCSE and the national curriculum, expenditure on books should rise considerably.

Viscount Davidson

Yes, my Lords, I agree. There will be monitoring, which is why we are having the pilot schemes.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the department aware that, while this is primarily an education question, the Library Association is keen to help and assist in such matters?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I am grateful for the noble Lord's help.

Lord Peston

My Lords, bearing in mind that there is no adequate substitute for books in education, has the noble Viscount seen the excellent volumes called Book Check Action File, published by the Book Trust? Those documents enable schools to determine what they ought to be spending on books. Do the Government agree with the main proposition of those volumes that each school ought to have 10 up-to-date attractive and informative library books for every pupil?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, I have not seen that one but I have seen Better Libraries: Good Practice in Schools, a survey by Her Majesty's Inspectorate, which perhaps the noble Lord might like to read too.

Baroness David

My Lords, as the Minister has mentioned the HMI report, is he aware of another report by HMI on secondary schools—it is an appraisal published this year—in which it is stated: Libraries were in general the weakest aspect of the schools' resources. Only one-tenth of the schools had good libraries, and a further third were adequately provided for. More than half the schools had less than satisfactory provision; one in seven being poor. The provision and use of libraries are matters for considerable concern". Her Majesty's Inspectorate was clearly not happy about the position. Will particular attention be paid to what happens to the school library service?

Viscount Davidson

My Lords, one of the purposes of the HMI survey was to highlight good practice in the use and management of libraries in schools. Schools will, I am sure, wish to take account of this document in deciding whether to support an LEA library service. I should advise the House that plans for spending on education in 1989–90 should enable LEAs to increase provision for spending on books and equipment in secondary schools by 39 per cent. when compared with spending in 1986–87, and in primary schools the increase will be 31 per cent. That is good news.