§ 29. Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received about the process by which community groups will apply for national lottery funding. [141902]
§ Mr. Chris SmithI have received a number of representations from community groups and others on the need for application processes to be as accessible as possible. The reports I commissioned from the independent Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team and Sheffield Hallam University contained recommendations for simplifying and improving application processes to make it easier for community groups to apply for funding.
Lottery distributors have welcomed the reports and are working together, with the Department, to take forward the recommendations. These include: the setting up of a joint national helpline to provide initial advice and guidance for potential applicants; reducing information requirements on applications for smaller grants; and ensuring that all guidance notes are of a high standard.
In addition, the highly successful awards for all scheme, which uses a simpler application form and provides Lottery grants of between £500 and £5,000 to small community based groups, is to continue in England until at least March 2002.