§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if the British Library(a) Board and (b) Management Committee are required to publish details of their remuneration in the annual report; [19054]
(2) what information the British Library is required to provide in its annual report in respect of income from the disposal of (a) freehold and (b) leasehold properties. [19055]
469W
§ Mr. FisherUnder arrangements agreed with the Treasury, the British Library and other Non-departmental Public Bodies may produce summary financial information in their Annual Reports, indicating that the detail is available in the Annual Accounts. The Library's Accounts, which are published after the Annual Report, disclose remuneration of members of the British Library Board, the pay bands of senior employees earning more than £40,000 and the remuneration of the Chief Executive. The Accounts also show the income from the sale of freehold and leasehold properties.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what revenue was generated by readers in the British Library in respect of(a) London and (b) Boston spa reading room, in the last five years for which figures are available. [19045]
§ Mr. FisherReading room revenue for the last five years was as follows:
£000 London reading rooms Boston Spa reading rooms Total 1992–93 510 14 1— 1993–94 537 19 1— 1994–95 835 25 1— 1995–96 1,019 31 1,050 1996–97 729 34 1,007 1 Prior to 1993–94, no distinction was made in revenue from readers and remote users.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the number of reader places for science and medical readers in the new British Library; and what previous estimates of these numbers have been presented to Parliament. [19046]
§ Mr. FisherThe total number of reader desks in the Science reading rooms is 273, with a further 41 dedicated for special functions such as CD-ROMS. These are available on a general basis and not specifically designated as "science" or "medical". Previous estimates of this provision were presented to Parliament on the following occasions
8 December 1988 (OR, WA, col 255) 238 reader seats for science and technology in the first phase of the new building.NAO Report, October 1990: New Building for the British Library: Revised reader seat provision for Science Reference Information Services: 242.National Heritage Committee Report, July 1994, The British Library: Reading rooms for science, technology and business: 209 desks in Phase 1A; 61 desks in Completion Phase.NAO Report, May 1996: Progress in Completing the New British Library: Capacity of the science and oriental reading rooms … 351 seats [i.e. 273 science and 78 oriental desks].
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what are his proposals for 29 Exhibition Road, South Kensington, when the National Sound Archive vacates the building; [19052]
470W(2) what are his plans for 25 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, when the present tenants vacate these buildings. [19051]
§ Mr. FisherSubject to approval by the relevant authorities, the Library will sell the freehold of the property at 29 Exhibition Road in 1998–99. The freehold of the property at 25 Southampton Buildings will be sold after their present tenants have vacated the buildings in 1999.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the floor area of the office accommodation in the British Library St. Pancras building; and how many offices it contains. [19053]
§ Mr. FisherThe total floor area of office accommodation in the St. Pancras building is 11,500 sq m. Under current plans, the number of individual offices is expected to be 40, as well as some 22 large open plan areas.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if 17 deg. C. and 50 per cent. relative humidity has been achieved in all the vault areas in the British Library. [19044]
§ Mr. FisherTests in the vault areas have confirmed that the plant has achieved and maintained environmental conditions of 17 deg. C. (plus or minus one degree) and 50 per cent. relative humidity (plus or minus 5 per cent.) in accordance with the technical specifications laid down for the areas.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the cost of the(a) new and (b) proposed British Library buildings at Boston Spa. [19047]
§ Mr. FisherIn 1995 the Library completed construction of a storage building at Boston Spa to accommodate reference material at a cost of £2.25 million. The Library is considering leasing additional office space to accommodate staff for functions relocated from London.