§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps is he taking to ensure that small community-based projects have increased access to Lottery funding. [128351]
§ Kate HoeyMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has encouraged the distributing bodies to continue and enhance the cross-distributor small grants programme, Awards for All, which distributes grants of £500–£5,000 to community-based groups for arts, sports, heritage, charitable and other community activities. The average size of a Lottery grant today is £40,000, down from a peak of more than £250,000 in 1995–96, which means that many more groups are able to benefit from Lottery funds.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money the National Lottery raised in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the average weekly figure for that period. [128358]
§ Kate HoeyIn the 12 months to the end of May 2000, the National Lottery raised a total of £1.789 billion for good causes (including money earned on the balance of the National Lottery distribution fund). This equates to an average of £34 million per week.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable distribution of Lottery funding throughout the United Kingdom. [128347]
§ Kate HoeyThe Government are committed to ensuring that Lottery funding is distributed fairly both geographically and across all groups of society. This is reflected in the changes made to Lottery distribution through the National Lottery Act, 1998, and through the revised Policy Directions which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued in summer 1998. My Department and the Lottery distributors have set up an action team to help ensure that areas of low take-up fare better from the Lottery in future.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to monitor the extent to which Lottery funds are equitably distributed throughout the United Kingdom. [128349]
§ Kate HoeyMy Department monitors the Lottery awards given to each constituency. The policy directions issued to each distributor require them to take account of the need to ensure that all parts of the country have access to funding.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the projects for which Lottery funding has been applied for to date. [128345]
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§ Kate HoeyApplications for Lottery funds are made in confidence and therefore no complete list of projects that have applied for Lottery funds is available. A list of successful applications is available on my Department's website at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that seaside towns receive Lottery funding for regeneration projects. [128344]
§ Kate HoeyThe National Lottery funds numerous projects which bring widespread benefits to seaside towns. Research jointly commissioned by my Department and the Lottery distributors into Lottery funding in the coalfields and other areas does however suggest that resort and retirement towns have made relatively fewer applications and have received less per capita than the national average. We have set up an action team to take forward recommendations in this research and will explore ways of ensuring that all areas, including seaside towns, receive their fair share in future.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the maximum percentage of funding a project can attract in Lottery funding. [128444]
§ Kate HoeyEach National Lottery distributor sets its own levels of expected partnership funding. In doing so they seek an element of partnership funding commensurate with the ability of different kinds of applicants, or applicants in particular areas, to obtain such support. In some instances this may result in 100 per cent. National Lottery funding. Volunteer time and other contributions in kind may be considered as providing partnership support.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to advertise funding opportunities through the Lottery to voluntary and community groups. [128350]
§ Kate HoeyMy Department has published and distributed leaflets drawing attention to the Lottery funding available. Similar information is available on the DCMS website www.culture.gov.uk. My Department is also working with the distributing bodies, local authorities and others to improve the flow of information to voluntary and community groups.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of Lottery ticket sales is in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since the Lottery began. [128357]
§ Kate HoeyIn the first five years of the Lottery's operation (that is, up to 13 November 1999), ticket sales in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency were £31,646,302. No more recent breakdown of Lottery ticket sales by constituency is available.