§ 12. Mr. David Watts (St. Helens, North)What assessment he has made of public attitudes towards spending lottery money on health and education projects. [102006]
§ The Minister for Sport (Kate Hoey)Lottery money for health and education is distributed by the new opportunities fund, set up by the National Lottery Act 1998. The fund's establishment was supported by 92.5 per cent. of those who responded to the White Paper that set out the Government's proposals before the Act was passed.
§ Mr. WattsI thank my hon. Friend, but does she agree that most people in Britain would rather see their lottery 517 money spent on health and education projects than on some of the side issues currently and regularly funded, and would want more money to be spent in that way?
§ Kate HoeyAs my hon. Friend suggests, it is true that people like to see national lottery money spent on something of which they approve. Money going through the new opportunities fund will cover a variety of ideas relevant to a range of activities including those for after school and at healthy living centres, and people clearly feel strongly that they want money to be spent in that way. The money is, of course, additional and it is important to note that it does not in any way replace Government expenditure.