§ Mr. Bernard JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress is being made on the restructuring of the Sports Council. [10425]
§ Mr. SproatLetters patent under the Great Seal granting royal charters of incorporation to the United Kingdom Sports Council and the English Sports Council were made on 19 September 1996. The United Kingdom Sports Council and the English Sports Council will become fully operational form 1 January 1997, subject to the legal transfer to the new bodies of the assets and liabilities of the Great Britain Sports Council. From that date, the United Kingdom Sports Council and the English Sports Council will receive a parliamentary grant from class X, vote I, to provide services and support for the benefit of sport and physical activities.
The English Sports Council will become responsible from 1 January 1997 for the distribution in England of lottery proceeds for expenditure on or connected with sport.