§ Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are her plans for the development of policy on the distribution of lottery proceeds. [10077]
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI am writing today to the chairmen of the lottery distributing bodies to consult with them on changes to policy directions I issue under section 26 (1) and (2) of the National Lotteries etc. Act 1993. My proposals would allow an amount of revenue funding to help develop the skills and talent of young people including elite young athletes; increase access to the arts and sports; allow the Sports Councils to fund one-off major events in the United Kingdom; and allow the national heritage memorial fund to make awards to building preservation trusts. None of these proposals is intended to substitute for existing funding through grant in aid. These proposals do not affect the Millennium Commission and the National Lottery Charities Board. My colleagues will be writing in similar terms to the chairmen of the distributing bodies in Scotland, in Wales and in Northern Ireland.
I have considered the existing rules on partnership funding. I am satisfied that there is sufficient flexibility available for distributing bodies to take account of special circumstances in individual applications. I shall be encouraging the chairmen of the distributing bodies to be 42W properly flexible in their interpretation of what is possible in this area, and I shall be encouraging the Arts Councils to consider what they can do to foster innovation within the existing definition of capital. The Arts Council of England has proposed using lottery money to help arts organisations gain long-term financial stability, in a way which would not substitute for existing grant in aid. I shall be discussing this further with it.
The consultation period will last until the end of February. I will then consider the responses to the consultation process, with a view to announcing any changes to the directions at the beginning of April.