HC Deb 19 January 1998 vol 304 cc417-8W
24. Dr. Julian Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to change the lottery operator in 2001. [21468]

Mr. Chris Smith

The appointment of the next National Lottery operator is a matter for the Director General of the National Lottery. Subject to the approval of Parliament, the National Lottery Bill provides that the Director General will be assisted in the selection process by an advisory panel.

Mr. Touhig

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to make national lottery funding simpler for small community organisations in Wales. [21448]

Mr. Fisher

The National Lottery Bill will help to ensure that more Lottery money goes to small scale projects in local communities. It will allow distributors to make application processes simpler and to move decision making to the grass roots.

Mrs. Anne Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what are his plans for revenue funding to support capital projects funded from the National Lottery. [21453]

Mr. Banks

Lottery distributors may already provide revenue grants or endowments alongside capital grants if they believe it is a sensible use of Lottery funds. We have made clear our view that, over time, the focus of Lottery funding should shift from buildings to people. I intend to give the distributors greater flexibility in their strategies to shift the balance from capital to revenue support without entering into long-term commitments which will prevent them from meeting new needs.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of heritage lottery applications have been turned down(a) in 1996 and (b)

Sponsored Body Role Name Region
Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection Member Mary Rose Beaumont London
Advisory Council on Libraries Member Mrs. Grace Kempster South East
Architectural Heritage Fund Council Member Mr. William Cadell Scotland
Architectural Heritage Fund Council Member Ms Jane Sharman London
Arts Council of England Member Mr. Rod Natkiel West Midlands

since the recent decision to establish health and education funds to be supported by the lottery, in respect of (i) the North West Region and (ii) the United Kingdom. [23366]

Mr. Banks

Twenty-four per cent. of applications considered by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in 1996 for projects in the North West were rejected. The equivalent figure for the whole of the UK was 27 per cent. Plans to establish the New Opportunities Fund, the new good cause for health, education and the environment, were announced in the White Paper "The People's Lottery" in July 1997. Since then, the HLF has rejected 26 per cent. of applications for projects in the North West and 31 per cent. of applications for the UK as a whole.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the decision of the Heritage Lottery Board to reject the application from Southport Pier Trust for funding of the renovation. [23376]

Mr. Banks

Decisions on heritage Lottery applications are made independently of Government by the Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the body responsible for the Heritage Lottery Fund. My right hon. Friend does not intervene in the process or comment on decisions made.