Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the British Library on resolving the industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services Union.

The British Library is an arms-length body, sponsored by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. It is under the control and management of the British Library Board, whose responsibilities and functions are laid out in the British Library Act 1972.

The British Library is operationally independent of government and the day to day management of the Library - including staff pay - is a matter for the organisation to determine. DCMS is aware negotiations are taking place on this dispute and hopes for a speedy response.