§ Lord Wedgwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Test Match cricket grounds should benefit from the National Lottery: and whether Test Match cricket grounds in "deprived areas" would get special consideration.
§ Lord InglewoodIt is for the Sports Council, as the statutory distributor in England of Lottery funds for good causes in sport, to determine its distribution policy within the framework set by government under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 and to decide the priorities under which it will distribute awards. One of its aims is to improve the nation's stock of sporting facilities in order to encourage much wider participation in and appreciation of sport throughout the UK.
The Sports Council has recently agreed, with the Test and County Cricket Board, to support a joint study looking into the future uses and needs of major facilities for cricket. This will assist the Sports Council in deciding where the priorities lie. In January 1996, the Sports Council launched the Priority Areas Initiative, which aims to attract more applications from areas of sporting and social deprivation. Up to 90 per cent. lottery funding is now available for sports projects in over 180 local authority areas.