Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the sustainability of library services.

The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all upper-tier local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. It is for local authorities to identify the needs of local residents and to fund and provide a library service that meets those needs.

His Majesty’s Government has provided an additional £600 million on top of the £64 billion Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 — an increase of 7.5% in cash terms. This uplift will help to reduce pressure on councils’ budgets, and protect services including public libraries.

We will be publishing a refreshed Government strategy for public libraries later this year, informed by the independent review of English public libraries conducted by Baroness Sanderson of Welton, which was published in January here. The forthcoming strategy will set out our plans to ensure that people across the country can benefit from excellent library services, and HM Government will explore opportunities to increase library use and engagement in line with the recommendations made in Baroness Sanderson’s independent review.