Written questions by McDonnell.

Media and Sport, what role public libraries will play in the delivery of the National Year of Reading.

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work and boost engagement.Local authorities such as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Hillingdon, Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire are actively celebrating and participating in the National Year of Reading programmes with various activities and events at their library branches.

Media and Sport, what role Young Futures Hubs will play in the delivery of the National Year of Reading.

The National Year of Reading is a Department for Education initiative, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive. Local Authorities participating in the programme will co-design the services in each hub alongside young people in the community to ensure it meets local needs. Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape, and will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase library engagement during the National Year of Reading.

Public libraries are central to the success of the National Year of Reading’s campaign to engage people of all ages with reading. The Reading Agency has been appointed to work with sector partners to deliver and support public library engagement. The Summer Reading Challenge in 2026, and World Book Night, the annual celebration of reading for adults on 23 April 2026, will be key moments for libraries during the National Year of Reading 2026. Throughout the year, The Reading Agency will provide public libraries with resources, toolkits, and print and digital materials to support their work and boost engagement.Local authorities such as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Hillingdon, Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire are actively celebrating and participating in the National Year of Reading programmes with various activities and events at their library branches.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding that her Department provides to the British Library, in the context of its industrial dispute with the Public and Commercial Services Union.

As an arms-length body of the department, the British Library’s funding is considered in the round as part of Spending Review arrangements and departmental business planning.The British Library is operationally independent of government and the day to day management of the Library - including staff pay - is a matter for organisation to determine. DCMS is aware negotiations are taking place on this dispute and hopes for a speedy response.

Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on increasing the grant-in-aid funding available to (a) cultural institutions, (b) museums and (c) galleries.

The Secretary of State has had constructive conversations with HM Treasury to secure grant-in-aid funding for our institutions. These successful conversations were borne out in February 2025, when we announced a £270m Arts Everywhere Investment package that included a 5% increase to the budgets of all national museums and galleries to support their financial resilience. And as per our most recent Spending Review settlement announced in June 2025, there is significant planned funding for the UK’s world-leading culture and heritage sector. We will be investing in celebrated institutions including national museums and galleries, as well as organisations like Arts Council England, which support local projects across the country and ensure that the best of British culture is accessible to all.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on a race equality impact assessment for the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the potential impact on Black (a) communities and (b) audiences of the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on public sector duties under the Equality Act 2010.

No.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the British Film Institute on the potential adverse impacts on equality grounds of the position of Education/Film Programmer, Adult Community.

No, ministers have not had any such discussions with the BFI. Staffing decisions within the BFI are operational matters for the organisation, which is responsible for ensuring its compliance with relevant equality legislation and its own equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Likewise, matters relating to audience engagement and programming are the responsibility of the BFI.