§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy that the distribution of lottery funds by the new United Kingdom Sports Council will not be limited to applications which promote the pursuit of excellence.
§ Mr. SproatWe have proposed that the new English Sports Council will target its grant-in-aid more effectively in direct support to the governing bodies of sport and on services in support of sporting excellence. The purposes, on or connected with sport, to which the present Great Britain Sports Council, and, in time, its English successor, may apply national lottery funds under the National Lottery Act 1993 are unaffected by these proposals. We do not propose that the United Kingdom Sports Council should be national lottery distributor but it will offer expert advice on applications of United Kingdom importance.