Orders of the Day — Public Libraries and Museums Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 5 February 1964.

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Photo of Sir Herbert Butcher Sir Herbert Butcher , Holland with Boston 12:00, 5 February 1964

The Minister, I am sure, will be very gratified with the welcome which has been accorded to the principles enshrined in this Bill, namely, that the library service throughout the country should be brought up to appropriate and approved standards, and that he and his Ministry should have a substantial share in this work. I am quite sure that whereas the phrase "facilities for inspection" is used to some extent, it carries with it the connotation also of inspiration, assistance and good will. But the Minister will be under no illusion that the enthusiasm which appears in this Bill for the activities of the county councils is not shared in every part of the House.

My own feeling is that the library service as a whole is not one which should be within the province of the county council. I believe that the library service, as my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey) and the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Blackburn) indicated, is one which is essentially capable of being handled by the local borough irrespective of its population. I would stress the point by calling in aid the illustration of my own borough of Holland with Boston which I have the honour to represent. The borough of Boston maintains the only reference library that there is in the County of Holland, but I understand that it is not of sufficient population, unless it is exempted, to continue its library service.

Library services are likely to be transferred to the county council. I represent the whole of the administrative county and the Parts of Holland as well. I would not say a word about their administration in general, but the fact remains that they have no library service at all. What they have at present is a library service which they share with the adjoining county of Lindsey. It seems to me quite undesirable that local authorities which have maintained this kind of service should be put at risk of having a useful and valuable service taken away from them.

The other suggestion which I want to put to the Minister is that this Bill will not become operative until 1965 at the very least. What is to happen during the interregnum? It may be that the local authority will go ahead hoping that all will be well, but I think that, on the other hand, in the case of Boston there is pressure of planning ahead for an additional new library, and I would not wish to see that held up because of any doubts that might arise. Would the Minister consider in Committee bringing in the same kind of provision which has already been approved by this House in the Weights and Measures Act, 1963? He will remember that it makes provision for the effect of local government reorganisation upon the authorities administering the Act and stipulates that power to administer the Act would not be taken away for several years, so as to enable the effect of reorganisation to be seen by the authorities concerned. I believe that a similar provision in this Bill would be of the greatest advantage. If we can encourage the use of local libraries as an integral service by the smaller boroughs, we shall be doing much to aid and assist.

When I look at the provisions of Clause 3, I doubt very much whether all this desire to bring things into the hands of the county councils is justified. The opportunity of regional councils co-operating all the way through makes even stronger the case for leaving the problem in the hands of the authorities which have handled it up to now. I believe that the Parliamentary Secretary and his right hon. Friend will have to pay the greatest possible attention to the expression of the wishes of this House from all quarters which would not in any way delay or minimise the urge to push forward with this advance in the educational field. I hope that they will have no doubt at all about the strong feeling that where this kind of service is being handled and handled well by non-county boroughs it is right and proper that things should be left where they are.