Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of books that discuss critical race theory in school libraries.

All pupils deserve to be taught a knowledge-rich curriculum that promotes the extensive reading of books and other texts, both in and out of school. School libraries complement public libraries in allowing pupils to do this. It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including which books the library stocks, or whether to employ a qualified librarian.

Given this autonomy, which is granted to schools, the department does not collect information about book stocks.

​In February 2022, the department published guidance to help schools understand their legal duties regarding political impartiality. The law is clear that schools must remain politically impartial, not promote partisan political views and should ensure the balanced treatment of political issues.