HC Deb 07 November 1995 vol 265 cc721-3W
Mr. Hanson

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate her Department has made of the short-term effects of the balances held by the lottery distribution fund on the PSBR; and what discussions her Department has had with Her Majesty's Treasury on this matter. [40087]

Mr. Sproat

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury today. My Department has regular discussions with Her Majesty's Treasury and exchanges information on the flow of lottery funds which enable it to assess the effect of lottery funds on the PSBR.

Dr. John Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she is taking to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of Millennium Commission funds between Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the regions of England. [41226]

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what guidelines she has(a) given and (b) proposed for determining the geographical balance of grants from the millennium fund as between (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) England and (e) the regions of England; and if she will make a statement. [40725]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The Millennium Commission has been directed by the former Secretary of State for National Heritage under the section 26 directions concerning matters to be taken into account when making funding decisions. Direction 2 (H) states that the Millennium Commission shall take into accountthe objective of ensuring that major projects are supported in each country of the United Kingdom".

The spread of national lottery awards on a regional basis is a matter for the Millennium Commission. The commission seeks to ensure a fair geographical distribution of lottery proceeds. In its second round of awards the commission is encouraging applications from those regions which submitted few in the first round.

Dr. Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make it her policy to make available figures for the distribution of national lottery proceeds by constituency. [41237]

Mr. Sproat

My Department is currently developing a dedicated database system which will enable me to make available figures on the distribution of national lottery proceeds across the United Kingdom by constituency.

Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the distribution of grants awarded by the Millennium Commission between Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the regions of England in both monetary and percentage terms. [41228]

Mr. Sproat

A report on the distribution of national lottery proceeds is placed in the Library of the House each month which includes information in the format requested. The October edition will be placed in the Library of the House in the coming week.

Ms Quin

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will give a breakdown by standard planning region of lottery grants since the introduction of the national lottery. [41221]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the total lottery moneys allocated to be spent to date within each of the English regions, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [41234]

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 6 November 1995]: A report on the distribution of national lottery proceeds is placed in the Library of the House each month which includes information in the format requested. The October edition will be placed in the Library of the House in the coming week.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals she has for providing representation from Wales in the membership of the Millennium Commission. [40728]

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 31 October I995]: Members of the Millennium Commission are appointed by Her Majesty the Queen. They are not appointed to represent specific areas of the United Kingdom. The commissioners have a broad range of experience and travel widely before making any decisions concerning the allocation of national lottery funds.