Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Tim Loughton (Conservative). It was answered by Maria Eagle (Labour) on Thursday, 24 November 2005 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Bookstart

Question: What criteria are used in selecting books to be given free to pre-school age children under the Bookstart programme.

Answer: Bookstart is administered by Booktrust, an independent charity that invites all UK publishers to submit books for consideration. If accepted, they are generally acquired from sponsoring publishers at a fraction of the usual retail cost. Booktrust chooses books on the basis of quality and adherence to safety standards, as well as content and suitability. It operates a selection panel that meets approximately every six to 12 months. The panel consists of librarians, health visitors, speech and language therapists, early-years educationists and Bookstart team members. It is independent and has no Government involvement.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 31310; 439 c1644-5
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: Lead
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Children Pre-school education Publications Reading Bookstart scheme Booktrust
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk