§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the likely effects on libraries under his responsibility of the envisaged 14 per cent. reduction in local authorities' expenditure on arts and libraries from 1979–80 to 1981–82.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThe Government's plans for public expenditure do not oblige any individual local authority to make any specific reduction in expenditure on any particular service. The decisions made by authorities about expenditure on libraries, and their effects, are likely to vary substantially from one area to another. I hope very strongly that no authority will seek disproportionate savings from the library service or fail to take local needs and circumstances fully into consideration.