§ Kate HoeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what percentage of pools industry money went to the(a) Foundation for Sport and Arts and (b) Football Foundation in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02; and what the percentage will be for 2002–03; [20988]
(2) what estimate has been made of the income to the (a) Foundation for Sport and the Arts and (b) Football Foundation from the pools industry in 2002–03. [20989]
§ Mr. CabornUnder the terms of the Government's agreement with the Littlewoods and Vernons Pools each company has made donations equivalent to 3 per cent. of stake money to each of the Foundations for Sport and the Arts and the Football Foundation in 2000–01 and 2001–02. The agreement was due to end on 31 March 2002. As announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his pre-Budget Report, following discussions between officials and industry representatives, the two pools companies have agreed to continue their funding for the two Foundations for a further two years at a rate equivalent to 2 per cent. of gross profits.
505WThe Football Foundation retains only an element of the donations made to it as the pools donations are for UK-wide purposes while the Foundation is an England only body. The Foundation currently retains 72.8 per cent. of the funds donated to it by the pools companies for its own purposes less £250,000 directly allocated to Supporters Direct by the Government. The rest is passed to bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland specified by the devolved Administrations.
My Department's provisional estimates are that pools donations to the Foundation for Sport and the Arts and Football Foundation will be in the region of £1.25 million. In the case of the Football Foundation this will mean in the region of £1 million for its own purposes in 2002–03. Of course, the final figures are tied to the success of both companies over the year.