Closed - Consultation on the National Lottery Shares

The Government wishes to restore the National Lottery to its original purpose. A priority element of this is the restoration of the shares of the National Lottery Distribution Fund to 20% for each of the good causes of sport, heritage and the arts.

Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sort, is seeking your views on this proposed change. The change will be effected by means of a Statutory Instrument made under Section 28 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. A draft is enclosed for your information.

He wants to ensure that, in making the transition to the new Lottery shares, the levels of grant available to the voluntary and community sector are protected, so proposes to make the change in two stages:

On 1 April 2011, to increase the share apportionment for arts, heritage and sport to 18% each of the Lottery and reduce the Big Lottery Fund to 46%.

Then on 1 April 2012, to increase the shares for arts, heritage and sport to 20% each of the Lottery and to reduce the apportionment share for the Big Lottery Fund to 40%.

Jeremy would be interested to have your views on the proposal and the timing for its implementation, and how the change is likely to affect you or the sector/s you represent. In particular he would be grateful for your views on the following:

• How would the change benefit you or the sector you represent?
• How would the proposed change disadvantage you or the sector you represent?

For Lottery distributors:

• What change, if any, would you expect to make to planned levels of grant budgets and payment forecasts.

For voluntary and community sector organisations:

• What impact would the changes have on member organisations’ ability to deliver previously identified priorities or projects?
• In your view will the change have any adverse or positive impact on particular groups, taking into account race, gender, disability, age, faith/belief, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic equality? How could impacts be avoided or mitigated. Please provide evidence if possible.

The draft Order, and a draft impact assessment can be found on the DCMS website  at http://www.dcms.gov.uk/consultations/7070.aspx

All responses, including any supporting material,  should be sent to lottery@culture.gsi.gov.uk by 21 August 2010.