Independent Bookshop Week 2021

That this House celebrates Independent Bookshop Week 2021, which takes place from 19 to 26 June; notes the role of independent bookshops in sustaining and cultivating reading habits and enhancing literary skills; further notes the financial contribution that independent bookshops make to the UK’s creative economy, and acknowledges the flexible and well-paid jobs they deliver; recognises that bricks-and-mortar booksellers are responsible for the discovery of some 21 per cent of all consumer book purchases and promote a diverse and robust publishing industry by supporting new writers and less well-known books; highlights the role that independent bookshops play in providing a safe community-filled space; believes independent bookshops generate footfall on our high streets by bringing people together through book clubs, book signings and other events; laments the danger that large online retailers pose to independent bookshops; and calls on the Government to urgently recognise the social value and cultural importance of independent bookshops.