§ Lord Moynihanasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Mclntosh of Haringey on 15 December 2003 (WA 111), and 18 December (WA 182) whether they will clarify governmental responsibility for sport in Northern Ireland. [HL903]
Lord Mclntosh of HaringeyThe Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is responsible for the central administration and promotion of sporting matters in Northern Ireland. Its role is to set the legal, financial and policy framework for the delivery of services by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland.
The Sports Council for Northern Ireland is responsible for the development of sport in Northern Ireland, including the distribution of public funding to individual sports.
The Sports Council's Exchequer funding in 2003–04 is approximately £8.9 million.
The council is also the distributor of Northern Ireland's share of the National Lottery proceeds for sport, which is approximately £6.8 million.