§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many libraries have(a) opened and (b) closed since 1997. [34921]
§ Dr. HowellsThe number of library openings and closures is not held centrally. However, the total number of libraries in England between 1996–97 and 1999–2000 was:
Number 1996–97 3,083 1997–98 3,053 1998–99 3,037 1999–2000 3,031 Note:
The figures reflect branch and central libraries only. They do not include mobile libraries or special services provided by English library authorities to senior citizens homes and others in sheltered
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Transitional funding for former grant-maintained schools, by LEA £ 1999–2000 2000–01 LEA Transitional Funding Transitional funding DfEE grant 302 Barnet 71,031 530,634 195,885 800 Bath and NE Somerset 0 176,783 120,106 820 Bedfordshire 885,955 768,730 407,874 303 Bexley 95,848 44,174 37,034 330 Birmingham 1,642,412 1,692,411 1,025,975 889 Blackburn with Darwen 34,672 0 0 350 Bolton 184,475 259,095 190,428 837 Bournemouth 0 578,784 293,882 380 Bradford 147,960 0 0 304 Brent 2,123,836 2,299,839 995,431 305 Bromley 1,392,578 783,673 581,622 825 Buckinghamshire 761,590 793,965 288,901 351 Bury 35,346 17,575 16,954 381 Calderdale 65,817 12,696 12,696 873 Cambridgeshire 688,107 323,530 195,964 housing schemes. In 1999–2000 the figures for these two types of provision were, respectively, 440 mobiles and 14,617 outlets in institutions.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was given to libraries to increase the range of their services in the last 12 months. [34922]
§ Dr. HowellsCore funding for public libraries is provided through the Environmental Protection and Cultural Services (EPCS) Block. In the latest Local Government Financial Settlement (for 2002–03) the funds for this block were increased by 4.2 per cent., a real terms increase of 1.7 per cent.
It is for local authorities to decide how much of their EPCS funding to allocate to their libraries in line with their statutory duty to provide library services that are comprehensive and efficient.
Specific project funding of over £2.3 million has been made available in 2000–01 through the joint DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Public Libraries Challenge Fund.
Through the New Opportunities Fund Community Access to Lifelong Learning Programme £120 million of lottery funding is being made available to enable all public libraries to offer public internet access and ICT learning facilities by December 2002.