HC Deb 10 March 2000 vol 345 cc836-7W
Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the distribution of lottery funding across the regions of the United Kingdom. [113642]

Kate Hoey

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has directed the Lottery distributors to ensure that all parts of the country have access to funding. My Department regularly monitors the distribution of funding to the regions and to areas of economic and social deprivation and it is clear that some areas have to date benefited less than others. My Department and the Lottery distributors have commissioned joint research into the impact of the National Lottery on coalfield areas which I expect to hold lessons for these and others areas of low take-up.

Mr. Faber

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the total Lottery funding made available to the English Sports Council in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99; and what is the estimated total Lottery funding to be made available to Sport England in each of the years (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02. [113770]

Kate Hoey

The total amount of Lottery proceeds (including interest) allocated to the English Sports Council for 1997–98 and 1998–99 was:

£ million
Year Amount of lottery proceeds
1997–98 307
1998–99 255

The total Lottery proceeds (including interest) to be allocated to Sport England for 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 have been estimated using the Lottery income scenarios which the Department sent to Distributing Bodies in October.

Million
Year Forecast income
1999–2000 £206–£211
2000–01 £185–£221
2001–02 £170–£226

The forecast for 1999–2000 was calculated by adding the share of Lottery proceeds allocated to Sport England from 1 April 1999 to the end of January 2000 to estimates for February and March 2000 based on the Lottery income forecast scenarios.