HC Deb 22 January 1987 vol 108 cc711-2W
Sir David Price

asked the Minister for the Arts what he is doing to encourage the introduction of library and information plans; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Luce

The library and information plan is a mechanism for contractual co-operation between all library and information services in a local authority area. Its purpose is to get maximum benefit from local resources.

The Library and Information Services Council commended the concept to me last year and asked me to encourage its introduction by contributing to the cost of drawing up plans in representative local authority areas. This I have been pleased to do.

Through the British Library research and development department, I am awarding Leicestershire county council, Staffordshire county council and the Northern Regional Library Bureau (an association of libraries in the North of England) £35,000 to encourage them to test this effective new means of co-operation. The British Library intends to match the awards which I am now making by further dispensations in 1987–88.