[welsh]

Parliamentary Questions

Below is a transcript of various questions which have been raised in Parliament concerning the Charities Board and other bodies in charge of distributing Lottery money. Directly below is a precised index of questions, linked to the full text.

How much money has been awarded to projects in Lancaster City?
How can small community based projects be assured funding?
How much money is raised yearly by the Lottery?
How is money equitably distributed?
How is this equitable distribution monitored?
What projects have applied for lottery money?
How is the lottery funding regeneration projects in seaside towns?
What is the maximum percentage of a project which the lottery can fund?
How is the lottery's funding advertised to relevant prospective applicants?
What money has been spent on lottery tickets in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency?
How much Lottery money is currently waiting to be allocated to good causes?
How much money was allocated to good causes in the Morecambe and Lunesdale region?
How many Lottery grant applications have been made by organisations in Gloucestershire?
Has there been further discussion concerning the withdrawal Lottery contracts from post offices which do not meet sales targets?
What is the role of the members of the National Lottery Charities Board and the role played by Ministers in their appointment?
What is the cost of producing the annual reports of the Arts Council of England and the National Lottery ?

Geraldine Smith (Lab, Morecambe and Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Lottery money has been awarded to projects in the Lancaster City council district since the National Lottery began; and if he will list the projects concerned.

Kate Hoey told her that according to the database, there have been 134 awards in the Lancaster City council district since the Lottery began, with a total value of �16,913,630.

Geraldine Smith asked the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps is he taking to ensure that small community-based projects have increased access to Lottery funding.

Kate Hoey referred her to encouragement of the distributing bodies to continue and enhance the cross-distributor small grants programme, Awards for All, which distributes grants of �500-�5,000 to community-based groups for arts, sports, heritage, charitable and other community activities. The average size of a Lottery grant today is �40,000, down from a peak of more than �250,000 in 1995-96, which means that many more groups are able to benefit from Lottery funds.

Geraldine Smith asked how much money the National Lottery raised in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the average weekly figure for that period.

Kate Hoey told her that in the 12 months to the end of May 2000, the National Lottery raised a total of �1.789 billion for good causes (including money earned on the balance of the National Lottery distribution fund). This equates to an average of �34 million per week.

Geraldine Smith asked what steps DCMS is taking to ensure equitable distribution of Lottery funding throughout the United Kingdom.

Kate Hoey said that the Government are committed to ensuring that Lottery funding is distributed fairly both geographically and across all groups of society. This is reflected in the changes made to Lottery distribution through the National Lottery Act, 1998, and through the revised Policy Directions which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued in summer 1998. My Department and the Lottery distributors have set up an action team to help ensure that areas of low take-up fare better from the Lottery in future.

Geraldine Smith asked the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to monitor the extent to which Lottery funds are equitably distributed throughout the United Kingdom. [128349]

Kate Hoey said that the Department monitors the Lottery awards given to each constituency. The policy directions issued to each distributor require them to take account of the need to ensure that all parts of the country have access to funding.

Geraldine Smith asked for a list of the projects for which Lottery funding has been applied for to date.

Kate Hoey said that applications for Lottery funds are made in confidence and therefore no complete list of projects that have applied for Lottery funds is available.

Geraldine Smith asked the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that seaside towns receive Lottery funding for regeneration projects.

Kate Hoey: The National Lottery funds numerous projects which bring widespread benefits to seaside towns. Research jointly commissioned by my Department and the Lottery distributors into Lottery funding in the coalfields and other areas does however suggest that resort and retirement towns have made relatively fewer applications and have received less per capita than the national average. We have set up an action team to take forward recommendations in this research and will explore ways of ensuring that all areas, including seaside towns, receive their fair share in future.

Geraldine Smith asked what is the maximum percentage of funding a project can attract in Lottery funding.

Kate Hoey: Each National Lottery distributor sets its own levels of expected partnership funding. In doing so they seek an element of partnership funding commensurate with the ability of different kinds of applicants, or applicants in particular areas, to obtain such support. In some instances this may result in 100 per cent. National Lottery funding. Volunteer time and other contributions in kind may be considered as providing partnership support.

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to advertise funding opportunities through the Lottery to voluntary and community groups.

Kate Hoey: My Department has published and distributed leaflets drawing attention to the Lottery funding available. Similar information is available on the DCMS website www.culture.gov.uk. My Department is also working with the distributing bodies, local authorities and others to improve the flow of information to voluntary and community groups.

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of Lottery ticket sales is in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since the Lottery began.

Kate Hoey: In the first five years of the Lottery's operation (that is, up to 13 November 1999), ticket sales in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency were �31,646,302. No more recent breakdown of Lottery ticket sales by constituency is available.

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money is currently held in the National Lottery distribution fund which is not committed to projects.

Kate Hoey: As at March 2000, just under �200 million of the money held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund was not committed to specific projects. Nearly three-quarters of uncommitted funds are for the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), but NOF anticipate that all its funds will be committed during the course of this financial year.

Geraldine Smith (Lab, Morecambe and Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Lottery money was awarded to projects in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency (a) between 1993 and May 1997 and (b) since May 1997; and if he will list the projects which received funding. [128343]

Kate Hoey: According to my Department's National Lottery Awards Database, between the start of the Lottery (November 1994) and 30 April 1997, 24 Lottery awards, with a total value of �3,419,980 were made in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency. From 1 May 1997 to 30 June 2000, the database indicates that 44 awards, with a total value of �2,240,908 were made. I am today placing lists of these projects in the Libraries of the House.

Laurence Robertson (Con, Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what has been the value to date of National Lottery grant applications made by organisations in Gloucestershire; broken down by constituency; (2) how many Lottery grant applications have been made by organisations in Gloucestershire, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Kate Hoey [holding answer 7 July 2000]: The information requested is not available as not all Lottery distributors are able to break down applications by constituency or by county. The number and value of Lottery awards in Gloucestershire by constituency, according to my Department's National Lottery Awards Database, are shown in the table.

Constituency Amount awarded (�) Total number of awards

Cheltenham 13,007,979 80

Cotswold 15,880,770 130

Forest of Dean 5,171,103 137

Gloucester 21,698,878 131

Stroud 9,653,239 142

Tewkesbury 1,615,800 69

Total 67,297,769 689

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the National Lottery Commission concerning the Lottery Operator's policy on withdrawing Lottery contracts from post offices which do not meet sales targets. [129660]

Kate Hoey [holding answer 7 July 2000]: None. Decisions on the locations of terminals are a matter for the operator of the National Lottery, subject to the minimum requirements set out in the licence.

Ben Chapman (Lab, Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the role of the members of the National Lottery Charities Board and the role played by Ministers in their appointment.

Kate Hoey (Minister for Sport) replied: Members of the National Lottery Charities Board take decisions on applications for grants from charitable, benevolent and philanthropic organisations. They formulate policies that continually improve and develop the Board’s grant-making and contribute to the strategic development of the Board in a changing environment. Members also act as the public face of the Board.

Board members are appointed for up to five years by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The Board’s Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland representatives are appointed following consultation with the relevant head of the devolved administration.

Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of producing the annual report of (a) the Arts Council of England and (b) the National Lottery was in each of the two most recent years in which they were published.

Kate Hoey [holding answer 18 July 2000]: I have asked the Arts Council of England to provide the separate costs of producing their grant-in-aid and National Lottery reports for 1998 and 1999. When this information is available, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library of the House.