§ 3. Mr. Ronnie Fearn (Southport)How many piers in England and Wales have received lottery funding in excess of £100,000 since 1 May 1997. [37406]
§ The Minister for Film and Tourism (Mr. Tom Clarke)One seaside pier has received lottery funding since 1 May 1997. The Brighton west pier trust was awarded a grant of £10.6 million in March 1998 by the heritage lottery fund for the restoration of the pier's substructure.
§ Mr. FearnI thank the Minister for our recent meeting, which was helpful. The Secretary of State said in the lottery debate that his criterion would be that lottery funding would go to people rather than to buildings. I agree, but piers do not come into the category of buildings or into any other category: they are one of their own. Southport pier attracts 144,000 people each year, but it is in need of repair, and we need lottery funding. Will the Minister put piers in a different category when heritage funding is considered?
§ Mr. ClarkeOn the general point, the hon. Gentleman and others can debate those matters when the National Lottery Bill is discussed. With regard to Southport pier, he led a delegation, which I was delighted to meet, and its members spoke fluently for their cause. To help the hon. Gentleman and his constituents, I should say that this is a matter for the heritage lottery fund, which expects to receive a revised application; it would be in their interests to submit it as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Ivor Caplin (Hove)The constituents of my neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Mr. Lepper), who is not in the Chamber, are grateful for the £11 million investment in the Brighton west pier trust, which will generate about £30 million investment in the area. Is not such partnership funding the way to secure the future of piers such as the Brighton west pier, which is the only grade I listed pier in the country?
§ Mr. ClarkeI thank my hon. Friend for his remarks; the people of Brighton and many others are grateful for the funding. The major difference between Brighton west pier, which is of grade I status as my hon. Friend says, and Southport pier is that, until now, Southport pier, alas, has been grade II.