Public Libraries: Closures

Sarah Teather
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public libraries have closed in England in each of the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge
This information is not held centrally. However, the Public Library Statistics, published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), contain data establishing the total number of public library service points open for more than 10 hours per week. The House of Commons Library holds copies for the period in question.