National Lottery Bill

I am grateful to the Minister, as I did feel that I had to push him uphill on this. He is always optimistic in these debates, and he is somewhat optimistic now to think that I would simply accept his assurance. Nevertheless, it is extremely welcome. The exchange with the noble Viscount, Lord Eccles, was very useful, as were the comments of the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley. The Minister’s clarification of what constitutes the voluntary and community sector—or third sector—was also useful, as was his clarification of percentage. In a sense, we are moving on from 40 per cent plus 16²/sub&3;, which is why it is so important to the voluntary and community sector to have some assurance that the way in which the Big Lottery Fund distributes money will be enshrined in law for the future. In many ways, that is why we on these Benches will not attempt to upset the Big Lottery Fund applecart. As the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, said, there was a great deal of consultation, and I have absolutely no doubt that there will be some very contented voluntary and community sector bodies if all the assurances that the Big Lottery Fund and the Government have given are met. We on these Benches try to reflect what some of the people who brief us and who have an interest in these matters are seeking to do. Otherwise, one would be going back to examining with much greater care precisely why we need this gargantuan body to take 50 per cent of National Lottery funds. So this assurance is of huge importance. That is why we would like it to be in the Bill. The Minister had a bit of fun saying that here we were, trying to be over-prescriptive, but it is all a question of how detailed that prescription is. Our objection to the Government’s amendment of Section 22 of the 1993 Act was the inclusion of the power to make detailed prescriptions. Nothing in this 60 per cent amendment equates to that. It is very broad, and it is entirely in line with the undertaking that the Big Lottery Fund has given. Indeed, now it is entirely in line with the ministerial assurance. I hope that, at the next stage of the Bill, we will push the Minister a little further along the track. Let us wait and see. In the meantime, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 4 not moved.] Clause 7 agreed to.