Select committee: Education Committee
Conclusion 39
2nd Report - Reading for Pleasure
Published 17 Jul 2026
Addressed to Department for Education
Education Committee Reading for Pleasure All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Access to books is not a luxury but a fundamental driver of educational success. For many children, schools are the first and only place they encounter a wide range of books and stories. School libraries are not optional enhancements but essential infrastructure—powerful equalisers that ensure every child, regardless of background, can engage with reading and realise their potential. School libraries must form a central pillar of the National Reading Guarantee which we are recommending. (Conclusion, Paragraph 159)
From: Education Committee, 2nd Report - Reading for Pleasure (HC 150), 17 July 2026
Government response
No government response linked yet: deadline 17 September 2026, 45 days ago.