{"primaryDescription":"<h2><strong>Are ministers doing enough to promote reading for pleasure?</strong></h2>\r\n<p>The cross-party Education Committee will hear how the government plans to stem the decline in children reading for pleasure, in the final session of its inquiry.</p>","secondaryDescription":"<p>With the number of children who enjoy reading at a twenty-year low, according to a National Literacy Trust survey, the Committee has been exploring what measures are needed to tackle the sharp decline in children reading for pleasure.</p>\r\n<p>In Tuesday&rsquo;s session, MPs will hear from the government&rsquo;s Minister for Early Education as well as a Director at the Department for Education.</p>\r\n<p>Topics the Committee is likely to explore include the success so far of the National Year of Reading initiative, how reading for pleasure is promoted through the national curriculum and teacher training, and how the government is working with the publishing and bookselling industries to improve diversity in children&rsquo;s books.</p>\r\n<p>Committee members are also likely to ask about the promotion of reading for pleasure through public and school libraries. They will ask about the government&rsquo;s progress both on its pledge to ensure that every primary school has a library by the end of the Parliament, as well as its plans for a new strategy for public libraries later this year.</p>","parliamentTvUrl":"https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0ba1fbd8-a402-4eea-bba1-aa95ac879774","id":27378,"name":null,"startDate":"2026-06-02T13:30:00","endDate":"2026-06-02T16:30:00","cancelledDate":null,"locationId":3,"location":"The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House","eventType":{"id":6,"name":"Formal meeting (oral evidence session)","isVisit":false,"description":"Formal meetings may be held in private (for example to consider a draft report) or in public (for example to hear oral evidence), and require a minimum number of members to be present."},"eventSource":"CIS","committees":[{"contact":{"email":"educom@parliament.uk","phone":null,"address":"Education Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA","contactDisclaimer":"We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone.\r\nPlease be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints."},"id":203,"name":"Education Committee","parentCommittee":null,"subCommittees":[],"house":"Commons","leadHouse":null,"category":{"id":1,"name":"Select"},"committeeTypes":[{"id":1,"name":"(HC) Public Standing Orders - Departmental","committeeCategory":{"id":1,"name":"Select"}}],"showOnWebsite":true,"websiteLegacyUrl":"https://old.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/","websiteLegacyRedirectEnabled":false,"startDate":"2010-07-13T00:00:00","endDate":null,"dateCommonsAppointed":"2024-10-21T00:00:00","dateLordsAppointed":null,"scrutinisingDepartments":[],"isLeadCommittee":true,"nameHistory":[{"id":198,"committeeId":203,"name":"Education Committee","startDate":"2010-07-13T00:00:00","endDate":null}]}],"committeeBusinesses":[{"id":9456,"title":"Reading for Pleasure","type":{"id":1,"name":"Inquiry","isInquiry":true,"description":"Inquiries allow committees to consider oral and written evidence on a particular topic. 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They usually result in the publication of a report."},"openDate":"2025-11-23T00:00:00","closeDate":null,"latestReport":null,"openSubmissionPeriods":[],"closedSubmissionPeriods":[],"nextOralEvidenceSession":null,"contact":{"email":"educom@parliament.uk","phone":null,"address":null,"contactDisclaimer":null}}],"oralEvidences":[],"id":37558,"name":"Reading for Pleasure","startDate":"2026-06-02T14:00:00","endDate":"2026-06-02T16:00:00","eventId":27378,"isPrivate":false,"activityType":"Oral evidence","attendees":[{"displayOrder":1,"organisations":[{"name":"Department for Education","role":"Minister for Early Education","idmsId":"https://id.parliament.uk/zWmj8iKs","cisId":29905}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":35457,"personId":null,"name":"Olivia Bailey MP","photoUrl":"https://members-api.parliament.uk/api/Members/5337/Thumbnail","memberInfo":{"memberFrom":"Reading West and Mid Berkshire","party":"Labour","partyColour":"d50000","mnisId":5337,"isChair":false,"listAs":"Bailey, Olivia","displayAs":"Olivia Bailey","fullTitle":"Olivia Bailey MP","addressAs":null,"house":"Commons","isCurrent":true}},{"displayOrder":2,"organisations":[{"name":"Department for Education","role":"Director, Curriculum, General Qualifications and Digital Strategy","idmsId":"https://id.parliament.uk/zWmj8iKs","cisId":29905}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":35458,"personId":399,"name":"Jenny Oldroyd","photoUrl":null,"memberInfo":null}]}]}