Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether funding for school libraries is ring-fenced; and if not, what support they will make available to schools to ensure that pupils can continue to have high-quality reading experiences.

The department believes that all pupils deserve to be taught a knowledge-rich curriculum that promotes the extensive reading of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. School libraries complement public libraries in allowing pupils to do this. It is for head teachers to decide how best to manage their budgets, including investment in resources such as library provision. This funding is not ringfenced and can include funding book corners, school libraries and librarians.

Overall, core schools funding, including funding for both mainstream schools and high needs, is increasing by £4 billion in the 2022/23 financial year compared to the previous year.