§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the level of the proposed reduction in the allocation from the Sports Council for the World-class Performance Programme following the apportionment of money from the National Lottery to the New Opportunities Fund. [75336]
§ Mr. BanksThere will be no reduction to the World-class Performance Programme. I can confirm that the amount of Lottery money available to sport has not reduced. In fact it has increased. When the Lottery was launched, the good causes expected to receive £9 billion in total over the licence period which ends in September 2001: that is £1.8 billion for each good cause, including sport. The National Lottery is now set to raise £10.6 billion for good causes over the current licence period. On this basis Sport will receive an extra £50 million over this period.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which World-class Performance Programme grants will be reduced following the apportionment of money from the National Lottery to the New Opportunities Fund; and which sports will be affected. [75337]
§ Mr. BanksThe amount of money available to sport has not reduced but will increase over the current licence period on the basis of current projections.
The allocation Lottery funding to sports and individuals who are in the World-class Performance Programme is a matter for the Sports Councils to decide at the moment on the basis of the forward plans submitted by the national governing bodies of sport and of the competing priorities. The hon. Gentleman may be assured that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I are determined to support our athletes. My right hon. Friend will announce shortly what share of the Lottery Sports Fund we propose the United Kingdom Sports Council should distribute in support of excellence in UK sport and other good causes.