National Lottery Bill

That is not a straitjacket. It does not say, moreover, that they shall ensure, like the Big Lottery Fund, that they give not less than 60 per cent of their funding to the voluntary community sector; it is simply a matter of fact. I must confess that I am somewhat baffled by that objection, because I cannot see that the provision of information is in any sense a constraint on any of those lottery distributors, other than the Big Lottery Fund, which we know has made a commitment and is able to report. The Minister’s objections are somewhat extraordinary, particularly since he produced from one cuff, in a sense, part of a trick, while making it clear that in practice all the necessary ingredients of that reporting structure had been, or were being, put in place. That is welcome. So the next step onto which I hope to take the Minister will be at Report stage. I will read the Minister’s words carefully, but I can guarantee that I shall take him carefully through his words tonight and urge him to take the next logical step—to enshrine this reporting requirement in the legislation. Meanwhile, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 12 agreed to.