Lottery Funding (Hansard, 20 November 2003)

§ Mr. Sanders
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her policy is on the recovery of Lottery funding from projects awarded grants which subsequently fail. [140230]

§ Estelle Morris
Lottery distributing bodies are required, under their financial directions, to attach conditions to each Lottery grant, enabling the distributor concerned to seek repayment of the grant, in full or in part, in certain circumstances. These circumstances include a breach by the recipient of any of the grant conditions; a material change of purpose, ownership or recipient during the project or after its completion; and cases where the recipient ceases to operate, becomes insolvent, fails to apply the grant for the purpose for which it was awarded, fails to complete the project, is found to have completed its application form fraudulently, incorrectly or misleadingly, or acts fraudulently or negligently during the completion of the project. The Department has issued guidance to the distributing bodies on the matters to be taken into account when they are considering seeking recovery of a Lottery award.

§ Mr. Sanders
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether Lottery distributors monitor the performance of successful Lottery bids against the criteria under which they were granted. [140231]

§ Estelle Morris
Each Lottery distributing body's financial directions require the body to institute a system for project monitoring in respect of capital and revenue projects supported with Lottery funds, to monitor whether the objectives and terms and conditions of grant are being met. The exact nature of monitoring will vary in individual cases depending on the size, nature and complexity of the project concerned.

§ Mr. Sanders
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Lottery funding has been recovered from failed Lottery projects in each of the past five years for which figures are available, broken down by Lottery fund. [140232]

§ Estelle Morris
I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.