HC Deb 14 October 1996 vol 282 cc454-5
12. Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many awards from national lottery proceeds have been made to individual potential sportsmen; on the basis of which criteria; how much has been the average award; and if she will make a statement. [37934]

Mr. Sproat

None as yet. The Sports Council has recently undertaken a nationwide consultation exercise to help it determine and develop the proposed schemes and priorities It will announce the new arrangements shortly.

Mr. Greenway

I welcome the progress that my hon. Friend has made in this area. Does he agree that good sportsmen who achieve a great deal internationally give a good lead to lesser sportsmen and children who are not very good at games? How much will be spent in total on assisting gifted athletes and sportsmen to success? Will he bear in mind that Charlotte Dutton, a leading snowboarder, and Ryan Cadogan, both of Ealing, lead their respective fields in the 15 age group?

Mr. Sproat

My hon. Friend has been in touch with me about both his constituents. I congratulate him on his assiduity. We shall have to wait until the Sports Council makes its announcement about how much money will be spent, but I expect about £10 million to £15 million to be set aside to help young sportsmen and women.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

The Minister will recall that he and I have corresponded about the amount of support available to disabled athletes. In the light of the success of the United Kingdom team at the paralympics in Atlanta, can he confirm that disabled sportsmen and women will be eligible for awards of the kind he has just described from the lottery?

Mr. Sproat

Yes, I certainly can. This might be a suitable occasion on which to say that the young sportswoman about whom we corresponded, Miss Caroline Ellis, had great success. I congratulate the hon. and learned Gentleman on the assiduity with which he carried that matter, through. I confirm that athletes with disabilities will be eligible for the revenue funding that we shall announce shortly.

Mr. Jamieson

The Secretary of State announced today that individuals can get funding for dance and drama Will the Minister note that Lord Gowrie said today that that is just an interim solution? Will youngsters such as Natasha Cornish in my constituency, who started on a course this September, be able to apply for funding next year and in subsequent years? What are the long-term prospects for funding for dance and drama students? Is the Secretary of State's announcement genuine or just a temporary measure?

Mr. Sproat

It is a genuine announcement. In case my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff) does not catch your eye on this matter, Madam Speaker, may I thank him for all the help that he has given on this matter? Some £15 million will come from the lottery and some £10 million will come through the Department for Education and Employment, so it is not temporary in the sense that it is here today, gone tomorrow. If we can improve the scheme, obviously we shall. The hon. Gentleman's constituents should be absolutely clear that we want to ensure that many dance and drama students who have been unable to promote their abilities because of a lack of funds and because local authorities' discretionary ability to give them money has not been taken up will be enabled to do so through this scheme.