HC Deb 18 March 2002 vol 382 cc43-4W
Nick Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects the first awards to be made by the National Lottery's joint Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund fair share project; what the final date is by which she expects all funds to have been distributed; and what measures are in place to ensure that all funds are distributed by this date. [44036]

Mr. Caborn

Fair Share will begin distributing funds from April this year. It will operate for three years until March 2005 and by then we estimate that £169 million of Lottery funding will have been distributed under Fair Share to benefit the areas selected. The Community Fund and NOF are developing a monitoring and evaluation strategy for ensuring that these funds go where they are most needed.

Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 25 February 2002,Official Report, column 708W, if she will list the 50 areas which are likely to benefit from Lottery grants following the review; and if she will make a statement. [43788]

Mr. Caborn

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1539–40W to my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East (Tom Watson).

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many projects have(a) been supported by the National Lottery and (b) subsequently failed; what the average value is of grants made by the National Lottery; and what steps are being taken to ensure that projects are revenue-funded to ensure their long-term success. [43555]

Mr. Caborn

To date 103,586 projects have been supported by the National Lottery and the average value of the awards amounts to £98,017. Comprehensive information on the number of failed Lottery projects is not centrally held at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Revised policy Directions issued by my Department in June 1998 freed Lottery distributors from past restrictions on revenue funding. It is for the distributors to decide the maximum period of time for which they will provide funding. It remains an important principle of Lottery funding that individual projects are for a defined period, to avoid commitments which would reduce the availability of resources for new projects.

Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department stopped recording information regarding(a) the number of applications made and (b) the amount of money asked for, by organisations per constituency; and if she will make a statement. [43789]

Mr. Caborn

[holding answer 15 March 2002]: This Department has never held comprehensive information on applications for Lottery grants by constituency, either in terms of the number of applications made or the amount of money requested.