To ask the Minister of Education to outline what actions he is taking to promote the benefits of early reading.

The importance of reading is promoted throughout the Sure Start programme which my department funds. Sure Start projects provide a wide range of support and resources to promote reading, child development and parental involvement with their child’s early learning.

In addition, my department strongly encourages links between Sure Start and Libraries, working in partnership with parents and families to encourage an ongoing relationship with local libraries which is sustained beyond the age of four when children transition from Sure Start.

My department also funds the Getting Ready to Learn programme in pre-school settings, which includes the Big Bedtime Read. This focusses on raising parents' awareness of the importance of reading to children and on encouraging them to read regularly to their children each night. It includes an emphasis on establishing good bedtime routines and on maximizing opportunities throughout the day to engage children in early reading experiences.

I have also recently reintroduced the BookStart Baby Programme to Northern Ireland. This programme encourages a love of reading from an early age to ensure all children get the full benefits of building confidence and developing empathy, creativity, and social skills.