§ Mr. TimmsTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will ask the Sports Council to review its policy of requiring the full 35 per cent. of private funding to be secured before an application for national lottery funding is submitted. [35109]
§ Mr. SproatMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has directed all the distributing bodies to ensure that a significant element of partnership funding is forthcoming from non-lottery sources. The Sports Council does not wish to debar applicants from applying purely on the basis that they cannot raise such funds. However, demonstrating the financial commitment of other parties to a project is a powerful expression of support for the scheme, and by minimising the financial contribution from the lottery assistance can be offered to a larger number of applicants. It should be noted that the percentage is purely indicative. If the Sports Council believes that a scheme which is unable to raise the indicative percentage is worthy of support, a grant offer could still be made.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what amount of national lottery funds has gone to west midlands sport; and what is her estimate of funding from that source in the next financial year. [34770]
§ Mr. SproatTwenty-eight awards from the lottery sports fund, totalling £7,389,714, have been made to projects in the west midlands. It is impossible to estimate the future level of lottery funding. This will depend upon ticket sales and on the number of eligible projects that come forward.