§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what directions he has issued under section 26(1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993; if he618W will make a statement on their content; and if he will place copies in the Library. [20983]
§ Mr. DorrellMy predecessor issued directions under section 26(1) and (2) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 on 20 June last year. Copies were placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to the answer given by the Director-General of Oflot on 28 March in his letter to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury, what proportion of the £3 million cost of Oflot is recovered from(a) the national lottery distribution fund and (b) licencing fees. [20992]
§ Mr. DorrellIn the 1994–95 financial year, £2,910,000 or 97 per cent. of the expenditure of the Office of the National Lottery will have been recovered from the national lottery distribution fund and £90,000 or 3 per cent. will have been from the payment of licence fees.
§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on what grounds the draft guidelines issued by the National Lottery Charities Board allowed for the exclusion of charities concerned with environmental matters. [20984]
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerI have been asked to reply.
The issue of these guidelines is a matter for the board. I understand, however, that their purpose is to indicate only those areas to which the board intends to give priority. It must consider all applications from all eligible bodies, including charities concerned with environmental matters, on their merits and can not wholly exclude any. Decisions in individual cases are a matter for the board.
§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the National Heritage what is the legal basis for the issuing of draft guidelines for the disbursement of funds by the National Lottery Charities Board. [20982]
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerI have been asked to reply.
Section 26(1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 provides that the National Lottery Charities Board, inter alia, shall comply with any directions given to it by the Secretary of State as to the matters to be taken into account in determining the persons to whom, the purposes for which and the conditions subject to which it distributes any money. The board is currently being consulted on the proposed directions as required by section 26(5) of that Act. The issue by the board of guidelines to applicants on how, in the light of the directions, it intends to set about the disbursement of the funds available to it, is a matter for the board.