Asked by: Karl McCartney (Conservative - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to review the rules relating to non-payment of the TV licence fee.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The government supported amendments in the Deregulation Bill and has committed to a thorough, independent review of how the licence fee is enforced. The Secretary of State announced last month that the Review will begin shortly and will conclude early in the next parliament.
Asked by: Karl McCartney (Conservative - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of local authority funding for the staffing of libraries.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities and it is for each local authority to determine at a local level how much they spend on libraries and how to manage and deliver the service, including decisions about expenditure on staffing.
Asked by: Karl McCartney (Conservative - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make representation to Lincolnshire County Council on its decision to invite volunteers to run some local libraries in Lincolnshire.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has a statutory duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to superintend and promote the improvement of the public library service provided by local authorities in England. The Department is aware of the proposed changes to library service provision in Lincolnshire having received a number of representations from local residents. A legal challenge to the decision taken by Lincolnshire County Council to reconfigure its library services is to be considered by the High Court on 8/9 July and this Department will consider matters further in light of the outcome of the Judicial Review.