§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has held with Westminster city council on the maintenance of support for the central music library and the music library service both in Westminster and nationally.
§ Mr. KeyThe central music library service is a matter for Westminster city council. The Government believe that library authorities themselves are best placed to decide on the detail of their service provision, and my statutory responsibility to ensure that library authorities meet their duty to provide comprehensive and efficient library service does not give me the right to intervene in the day-to-day management of services.
Although Westminster city council plans to reduce the opening hours of the central music library and make commensurate staff savings, its service will remain exceptional even when the reductions have been implemented.
There are particular problems in relation to the provision of music scores and information in libraries, 226W which it is unreasonable to expect any single local authority to solve. For this reason, we are investigating alternative possibilities.
My Department is already jointly funding a study for a library and information plan for music. This study is investigating the provision of music scores and music information across the country, and is expected to be completed this June. It will produce an action plan for improvements in service.
One of the current applications for funding from the Department's public library development incentive scheme is for the establishment of a national music lending service, based on the present collections of the Yorkshire and Humberside joint library service and the British Library. A final decision on the application will be taken in September.