Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2017 to Question 64455, on public libraries: voluntary organisations, what support the Government is providing for library services and other public sector organisations to consider alternative funding and delivery models; and how that support can be accessed.
Answered by Rob Wilson
Firstly, we have put in place dedicated support for the creation of public service mutuals.
A new consortium of existing library service mutuals provides peer support for library authorities interested in exploring such models and is running two free Masterclasses in March 2017, in London and York, to share their experiences.
DCMS has also provided some funding to support a number of library authorities and other organisations interested in developing new delivery models.
The Libraries Taskforce’s document Libraries Deliver: Ambition for Public Libraries in England 2016 to 2021 sets out practical options on alternative funding and delivery models for library authorities. The Libraries Taskforce will run free masterclasses for library authorities on income generation and alternative funding streams. It is also supporting community managed libraries by providing advice and guidance through its Community Libraries Toolkit, and supporting the development of a peer network for community managed libraries to share good practice and assist the development of sustainable community managed library business models. The Taskforce will also publish a Toolkit offering practical guidance for library authorities considering mutuals.
Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding she has provided to libraries in each of the last five years.
Answered by Rob Wilson
Funding provided to public libraries in England in each of the last 5 years by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and through Arts Council England, the development agency for libraries, is shown in the following table:
| 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 budgeted |
DCMS |
|
|
| £2,589,626 | £4,300,000 |
Arts Council England | £983,405 | £3,960,601 | £2,675,015 | £3,077,350 | £2,500,000 |
Total | £983,405 | £3,960,601 | £2,675,015 | £5,666,976 | £6,800,000 |
This is in addition to the net investment by local library authorities annually including £701 million in 2015/16.
The funding from DCMS in 2015/16 supported the installation or significant upgrade of WiFi in public libraries across England, while the funding for 2016/17 includes a new public libraries innovation fund to support projects that develop innovative library service activity to benefit disadvantaged people and places in England.
Arts Council England's funding provided to public libraries in England supports library-specific activity or direct investment in a library, such as the Get It Loud In Libraries programme which has created exciting opportunities for young people to lead, participate, volunteer and excel in artistic and cultural activity in a library environment.
Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what government funding is available to community groups who wish to take over the running of libraries from local authorities.
Answered by Rob Wilson
Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service and are responsible for funding the public library service. Some local authorities do also provide short term funding to assist community groups with running costs or one off grants to take over the running of the library.
The Government is providing support for library services and other public sector organisations to consider alternative funding and delivery models, including public service mutuals which can involve local communities as well as library staff having a stake in the public services.
Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available to assist the development and promotion of long distance walks.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The Government is investing over £68 million through Sport England for outdoor recreation sports. The Ramblers and Long Distance Walking Association are recognised by Sport England as National Governing Bodies, and can apply for Sport England funding.
Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which external organisations he has met to discuss the consequences of the UK leaving the EU in each of the last three years; and how many times he has met each such organisation.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. The Secretary of State regularly meets with a range of external organisations to discuss the Government's objectives in Europe. Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly.
Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which external organisations officials in his Department have met to discuss the consequences of the UK leaving the EU in each of the last three years; and how many meetings such officials have had with each such organisation.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. Officials regularly meet with a range of external organisations to discuss the Government's objectives in Europe.
Asked by: David Nuttall (Conservative - Bury North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials in his Department are engaged in research into the effects of the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. Departments are appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities in Europe.