§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has as to which books and children's 481W comics are banned from public libraries in London, Manchester and Liverpool on the grounds of racism or sexism.
§ Mr. Luce[holding answer 28 October 1988]: No comprehensive information on this subject is maintained centrally. The choice of what material to stock is a matter for local library authorities who should take account of the needs and wishes of the local community. When I receive complaints about choice of material it is my normal practice to raise them directly with the library authorities concerned.
I am aware that some authorities are reported to have discouraged reading material which has given pleasure to generations of adults and children because of supposedly racist or sexist overtones and I deplore this.
Physicists and technicians in the radiotherapy physics division and other sections of Belvoir park hospital at 25 October 1988 Number of staff in post1 Grade Establishment Working on site Training on site Long-term sick leave Maternity leave Physicists 8 3 1 1 1 Technicians 14 12 — — — 1 In addition to the numbers quoted, 2 physicists and 2 technicians have recently been appointed to fill vacant positions and will be in post within one month.