§ Mr. HealeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures he is taking to ensure national lottery funds are distributed in a way that targets areas with the greatest social needs. [149393]
§ Mr. Chris SmithFollowing the 1988 reforms to the national lottery, distributors are required to take into account the need to ensure that all areas have access to funding and the scope for reducing economic and social deprivation. Since then, distributors have increasingly targeted funding on areas of need, on people and activities rather than just capital projects, and on small grants to community groups. All of this means that, more than ever, the communities with the greatest needs are experiencing the positive effects of national lottery funding.