§ Mr CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations she has received about the case for village halls to win an appropriate share of Lottery funds; and if she will make a statement. [78444]
§ Mr. CabornMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received numerous representations from Members of Parliament, village halls advisers and others about the funding difficulties facing village halls. Many village halls have received Lottery funding and the community fund alone has to date awarded £109 million for the building, extension and improvement of 2,271 village halls.
We have asked Lottery distributors to work together to make it easier for community groups to access such funding. Last month distributors launched a £2 million trial programme in the West Midlands involving a 80W shared application process for groups seeking up to £100,000 to improve their community building and the sports, arts or community activities that happen there.