HC Deb 27 May 1988 vol 134 cc376-7W
Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list(a) the library authorities and (b) the services which have been contracted out.

Mr. Luce

[holding answer 26 May 1988]: Published statistics do not contain this information and there are no centrally held records. At present many library authorities contract out some support services such as cataloguing, jacketing and binding of books.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will publish a list of existing library co-operatives.

Mr. Luce

[holding answer 26 May 1988]: No. There are many library co-operatives from the large regional library bureaux and the automation co-operatives to the small locally based schemes, and no complete and up-to-date list is readily available.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts which public library authorities are reluctant to use their existing powers either in full or in part, to charge for services, as referred to in paragraph 2.4 of the public libraries Green Paper; and whether he will list those services(a) not charged for and (b) not provided.

Mr. Luce

[holding answer 26 May 1988]: No central records are kept and it is not possible to deduce from published statistics the full extent to which authorities use existing charging powers. However, advice which I have received and early indications from comments made on the Green Paper indicate that many authorities make only nominal use of these powers.