§ Mr. Rhodri MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has to set up a distributing body in Wales for the New Opportunities Fund; and what proposals he has to ensure that childcare proposals from Wales are adjudged for funding by criteria appropriate to Welsh circumstances. [22409]
§ Mr. Chris SmithThe National Lottery Bill currently before Parliament provides for the establishment of the New Opportunities Fund to distribute Lottery funds under the new good cause for health, education and the environment. Subject to Parliament's approval of the Bill, the Fund will be a UK-wide body, but the Bill provides that four of its members should make the interests of the four home countries respectively their special care. The Fund will be able to establish whatever committees it believes appropriate for the effective exercise of its functions, depending on the nature of the initiatives it is to pursue. These could include committees that would exercise the functions of the Fund in each of the home countries.
The Fund's operations will be guided by directions issued by me after consultation with colleagues, including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, which will take into account the special circumstances and needs of all parts of the United Kingdom. Such arrangements will ensure that all funding proposals, including those for childcare, are judged against criteria appropriate to the circumstances of the country concerned.