REGISTRATION OF SOCIETIES (Hansard, 28 April 1993)

§ Mr. Alton
I beg to move amendment No. 17, in page 16, line 25, leave out '£50,000' and insert '£100,000'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this it will be convenient to discuss amendment No. 97, in page 16, line 25, leave out '£50,000' and insert '£250,000'

§ Mr. Alton
I will not detain the House long, as we are all keen to make rapid progress.
In Committee the Minister said that he would consider the position of the society and local lotteries dealt with in part III of the Bill. I refer the House to line 25 of clause 42, where the figure of £50,000 appears. Many members of the Committee expressed their anxiety that the figure was too low, and should be increased. I therefore tabled an amendment suggesting £100,000.
Amendment No. 97, tabled by the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme), suggests the even higher figure of £250,000. I understand that the Government are willing to consider that figure, as they undertook to give the matter further thought in Committee.
I am happy to be associated with the terms of the right hon. Gentleman's amendment and will therefore not press my own.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
In response to a debate instigated by the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme) I said in Committee that I would reflect on this. The House will be pleased to know that I have done that, and that I am happy to accept amendment No. 97—extending my regrets in the direction of Mossley Hill. I hope that the hon. Member will not be too disappointed.

§ Mr. Orme
It is not often that I get £250,000 from the Government. Some of us, including the lotteries council, met the Minister and discussed the matter with him. We made a strong case for raising the figure to £250,000, and the Government have seen the wisdom of that.

§ Mr. Alton
I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.