§ 59. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to accelerate the provision of necessary public library accommodation.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe Government have been considering proposals for giving up to a large extent central control over loan sanctions for individual projects undertaken by local authorities. The effect would be that authorities would be free to make their own decisions on capital expenditure over a wide range of services, including public libraries, within an annual block allocation. Firm proposals have not yet been made known, but it is in this context that the provision of public library accommodation is likely to be considered in future.
§ 60. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new branch libraries have been established in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeThis information is not available in the form required. However, the number of new branch libraries for which loan consent was given from 1965–66 onwards is given in the following table:
Loan Consents for new Branch Libraries 1965–66 … … … … 92 1966–67 … … … … 83 1967–68 … … … … 112 1968–69 … … … … 51 1969–70 … … … … 85