Written question asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 8 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 16 January 2002. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 January 2002 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the Heritage Lottery Fund's policy is on (a) funding retrospective conversion projects and (b) providing information on and increasing access to British cultural heritage in UK libraries.

Answer: Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Heritage Lottery Fund's policy is on (a) funding retrospective conversion projects and (b) providing information on and increasing access to British cultural heritage in UK libraries. [26577] Dr. Howells: The Heritage Lottery Fund's policy is that (a) where a project involves conversion of information about collections into electronic forms, the Fund expects applicants to address the conversion of catalogues and other finding aids before digital imaging of collections and (b) to support documentary heritage projects from libraries of historical importance which run programmes of public benefit, and to support projects to widen access to collections, particularly those of non- national institutions. There is a separate policy for support of library and archive acquisitions; the Heritage Lottery Fund does not fund public lending library services.

Secondary information