Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Barry Gardiner

Thursday 14th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab)]

I am sure the Minister will share my disappointment that libraries have become a political football between national and local government. Does he agree that perhaps the best way of safeguarding our libraries is to define more clearly what constitutes a statutory comprehensive library service?

[Mr Vaizey]

We have issued clear guidelines to local authorities based on the Charteris review, but I agree with the hon. Gentleman that libraries should not be a political football. It is important that local authorities be free to make decisions about the future of their library services. The decisions taken by the Labour council in Brent were based on proposals that were six or seven years old and not related to cuts.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Vaizey of Didcot and Barry Gardiner

Thursday 3rd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vaizey]

I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s very optimistic comment and depressed by the sedentary cynical comment by the hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant).

[Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab)]

The Minister spoke of an Olympic year in which we can be proud. How does he propose to deal with the current dispute between the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and those campaigning on behalf of the 25,000 victims of the Bhopal disaster, and Union Carbide/the Dow Chemical Company having been given the wrap for the stadium? That does not fit with the sustainability and corporate social responsibility criteria of LOCOG.

[Mr Vaizey]

I am aware of the dispute, which is obviously on the desk of my colleague the Minister for Sport and the Olympics. I would say that the Dow Chemical Company is a top sponsor of the International Olympic Committee and my understanding is that it has been for many years.