§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will establish national heritage funds for England, Scotland and Wales to administer the funds collected in each country through points of sale; and if he will appoint to each members who are representative of lottery ticket buyers and require them to consult an expense-paid advisory council chosen proportionately by random selection from socio-economic groups who purchase lottery tickets; [26845]
199W(2) if he will review the operation of the national lottery to ensure that its proceeds are spent on projects which are indisputably of benefit to the socio-economic groups who have bought most of the tickets. [26864]
§ Mr. DorrellThe arrangements for distributing the net proceeds of the national lottery were agreed by Parliament and are working effectively. I have no plans to change them.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to invite(a) the Federation of Women's Institutes, (b) the Townswomen's Guild, (c) the British Legion and (d) other grassroots non-political organisations to consult their members and put forward each year local projects for the use of national heritage funds obtained from the lottery for the benefit of the socio-economic groups which contribute most of the money. [26877]
§ Mr. DorrellThe applications process for grants from the national lottery is open to everyone provided their proposal is for the public good and not primarily for private gain. I am sure that the 11 independent distributing bodies would welcome appropriate applications from the groups mentioned and other similar organisations.
§ Mrs. Llin GoldingTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much money projects concerned with children's play have received from the national lottery. [26752]
§ Mr. DorrellProjects concerned with children's play have not yet received any awards from national lottery proceeds.