HC Deb 13 March 1973 vol 852 c305W
13. Mr. Edward Lyons

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals she has for the future of the West Riding county library.

16. Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will convene a conference of elected members and officers concerned with public library services in the present Yorkshire local authorities with a view to promoting the establishment and maintenance of a central support library to serve the new library authorities after April 1974; and if she will recommend that the Yorkshire Regional Library Systems Council should continue upon a broader basis to take over the administration of a central library to serve the region.

19. Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what studies she has instigated into the library services in South and West Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

The findings of a report by the library advisers of my right hon. Friend's Department on the provision of public library services in South and West Yorkshire were communicated to the library authorities there in August last year for consideration by them individually and jointly. Extensive local consideration has taken place and is still continuing, and a conference on the lines suggested would be for local decision. The report examines a number of ways by which certain centralised facilities now provided by the West Riding authority might be continued. One of these ways could be through the council referred to.