National Lottery (Hansard, 6 November 2000)

§ 17. Mr. Healey
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the measures he is taking to ensure that former coalfield areas gain a fair share of national lottery funding, and the effectiveness of those measures to date. [135352]

§ Mr. Chris Smith
The Government would like to see all parts of the country receiving a fair share of lottery funding. My Department and lottery distributors commissioned research into the impact of the lottery on the coalfields and have established a joint coalfields action group to take forward the report's recommendations. Early indications are that the rate of awards to coalfields areas has increased since Government lottery reforms came into force in August 1998.

§ 18. Mr. Gerald Howarth
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been raised for good causes by the National Lottery since its inception. [135353]

§ Mr. Chris Smith
Up to the end of September this year, the National Lottery had raised £9.96 billion for good causes.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that the arrangements for auditing organisations in receipt of National Lottery grants are robust. [135909]

§ Kate Hoey
Distribution of National Lottery grants is a matter for 15 National Lottery distributing bodies. The Secretary of State's directions to these bodies (or, in the case of bodies operating solely in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the directions from the devolved Administrations) require them to establish procedures which ensure lottery resources are being used for the purposes for which grants were given and that the schemes supported represent value for money; that projects are delivering the benefits identified on the application form in accordance with specified financial arrangements; and that assets purchased are being used for the purpose for which they were intended. The distributing bodies are required to set out their performance on this in their annual reports.
My Department requires distributing bodies' accounting officers to submit a statement, verified by the National Audit Office (or equivalent) which states that their systems (including their systems for monitoring arrangements as set out above) are adequate for the distribution of lottery funds before they are permitted to draw down such funds. Other steps include an annual assurance exercise which examines distributors' compliance with their directions.

§ Mr. Hilary Benn
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the transport vehicles to which the Heritage Lottery Fund has given 53W financial support since its foundation; how many such vehicles are on static display only; and how many such vehicles are in use. [136275]

§ Mr. Alan Howarth
The information requested is held by the Heritage Lottery Fund and I have asked for it to be provided. I will write to my hon. Friend when the information is available and place copies in the Libraries of both Houses.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidelines he has issued to the National Lottery Commission in respect of criteria for awarding the licence to run the National Lottery. [136394]

§ Kate Hoey
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's directions to the National Lottery Commission were placed in the Libraries of the House on 4 February 2000.

§ Dr. Julian Lewis
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria there are for fitness to be granted the licence to run the National Lottery, with particular reference to the personal character and past conduct of bidders. [136244]

§ Kate Hoey
Decisions on fitness and propriety of the National Lottery operator are a matter for the National Lottery Commission. Section 4(1)(a) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 (as amended) requires the Commission to securethat the National Lottery is run, and every lottery that forms part of it is promoted with all due propriety
Section 5(5) of the Act further provides that In determining whether to grant [a licence to operate the National Lottery] the Commission may consider—

(a) whether any person who appears to it to be likely to manage the business or any of the business of running the National Lottery under the licence is a fit and proper person to do so, and

(b) whether any person who appears to it to be likely to be a person for whose benefit that business would be carried on is a fit and proper person to benefit from it.
Detailed criteria are a matter for the Commission.

§ Mr. Barry Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what kind of facilities will be built in schools under the New Opportunities Fund's schools initiative; and if he will make a statement. [136297]

§ Kate Hoey
Subject to responses to the consultation paper, published today, we would like this initiative to focus primarily on refurbishing existing, and building new, indoor and outdoor sports facilities for schools and community use. The types of facilities we envisage being funded include playing fields, swimming pools, tennis courts, indoor nets, astropitches and facilities for outdoor adventure. This extra money would provide a wider range and greater number of facilities than would be possible through central Government funding alone.