National Lottery Bill

I am not sure what the noble Viscount is describing. Organisations involved in bids will have very clear indications of policy and of how to meet bid requirements, but, as I indicated, that will be the responsibility of the Big Lottery Fund. I am merely seeking to describe the broad relationship of the Secretary of State to the obligations of the Big Lottery Fund with regard to 50 per cent of its expenditure. I am trying to express to the Committee that in very broad terms the prescription that we are offering is merely to acquaint the 50 per cent expenditure for which the Big Lottery Fund is responsible under good causes on one side with the other 50 per cent for which it is responsible, which is already much more prescriptive because of the channels down which inevitably the resources flow. I am indicating that there is no greater government input into the situation than those broad categories; and that this is subject to consideration by both Houses of Parliament in an order. That seems entirely reasonable when the new thing is that the Big Lottery Fund is a substantial part of lottery allocations. It would be very strange indeed to suggest that it should exercise those powers without any form of guidance at all. Within that guidance, we have three broad themes.