All children over eight to be enrolled at local libraries

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan unveiled the plans saying it was a ‘national mission’ to improve the literacy levels of school children in the country, enlisting author and comedian David Walliams to help launch the campaign.

In addition to issuing every child with a library card, Morgan also aims to create at least 200 new book clubs to encourage children to read.

Morgan said: “No matter where they live or what their background, every single child in this country deserves the opportunity to read, to read widely, and to read well - it’s a simple matter of social justice.

“Our reforms have already helped tens of thousands more pupils to leave primary school as confident readers but we must go further.”

However, the plans have faced some criticism, as government cuts have led libraries to close or greatly reduce services, which has rendered them inaccessible to children.

Lauren Smith, from the group Voices for the Library, said: "Libraries have been massively underfunded for a very long time, which is the result of the government refusing to acknowledge the educational role of libraries.

"It does stagger me that politicians are placing responsibility for literacy away from themselves and local authorities and on to parents… and on to library services which have been trying to do this for years without enough money."

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