{"value":{"id":1542073,"askingMemberId":3691,"askingMember":null,"house":"Lords","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2022-11-14T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2022-11-28T00:00:00","uin":"HL3381","questionText":"To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure local libraries are protected from any reductions in spending; and what encouragement they will give to local authorities to protect such libraries.","answeringBodyId":10,"answeringBodyName":"Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4728,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2022-11-24T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23 makes available £54.1 billion for local government in England, an increase of up to £3.7 billion on 2021/22. The majority of this funding is not ring-fenced, including funding of library services, in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities and needs.</p><p>Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service which meets local needs. It is for each local authority to consider how best to deliver this statutory duty within available resources.</p><p> </p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Public Libraries: Finance","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1542073","method":"GET"}]}