§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what has been the total cost of providing the library service in Belfast in each year since 1974; and how much of this expenditure was attributable to the running of the central library reference facility;
(2) how much money has been spent by the library service in Belfast in buying new books in each of the years since 1974.
29W
§ Mr. ScottThe Belfast education and library board has spent the following sums on library services:
Year Recurrent Capital Total £million £million £million 1974–75 0.85 0.23 1.08 1975–76 1.26 0.39 1.65 1976–77 1.51 0.17 1.68 1977–78 1.82 0.42 2.24 1978–79 2.25 1.00 3.25 1979–80 2.34 1.11 3.45 1980–81 2.84 0.15 2.99 1981–82 2.86 0.08 2.94 *1982–83 2.63 0.07 2.70 * Estimate. The costs of running the central library reference facility cannot be separately identified. The Belfast education and library board has spent the following sums on the purchase of books for the library service:
Year Expenditure £000
1974–75 296 1975–76 458 1976–77 561 1977–78 715 1978–79 900 1979–80 785 1980–81 931 1981–82 732 *1982–83 434 *Estimate.