National Library of Wales

Oral Answers to Questions — Wales – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 January 1991.

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Photo of Dr John Marek Dr John Marek , Wrexham 12:00, 21 January 1991

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to publish the recommendations of the recent staff inspection report into the National Library of Wales once they have been considered by the institution.

Photo of Mr Nicholas Bennett Mr Nicholas Bennett , Pembroke

It is not the practice to publish staff inspection reports and we have no plans to publish any part of the report on the National Library of Wales.

Photo of Dr John Marek Dr John Marek , Wrexham

I hope that the Minister will think again. While there are clearly items in it that should be kept confidential, there other items, such as charging for exhibitions and closure of the printing press, which merit a wide discussion in the Principality before they are enacted. I hope that the Minister will think again and I ask him to think again about publishing a summary of the recommendations of the report and the actions that he proposes to take.

Photo of Mr Nicholas Bennett Mr Nicholas Bennett , Pembroke

I understand that this report was prepared with co-operation of the staff on the understanding that it would not be published. Therefore, I do not think that it is right to go back on the word that was given to the staff at the time. Clearly some of the issues that were addressed in the report will have to be addressed by the House at some stage and of course that will occur.