§ Mr. CaplinTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements have been made to allow the New Opportunities Fund and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts to undertake preparatory work before the passage of the National Lottery Bill [Lords]. [48315]
§ Mr. Chris SmithThe National Lottery Bill, currently awaiting Royal Assent, will establish the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).
NOF will be the distribution body for the new good cause for health, education and the environment. In its first three initiatives, it will support healthy living centres, out of school hours learning and childcare, and training in 129W information and communications for teachers and public library staff, along with the creation of digital learning materials.
The aim of NESTA will be to promote talent, creativity and innovation by helping talented people reach their full potential, helping turn good ideas into marketable products and services, and raising public appreciation of the value of science, technology and the arts.
Parliamentary approval for the preparatory costs of these new services will be sought in the main Estimate for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Class X, Vote 1, Section I). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £525,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.