Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 70: 70: Clause 17, page 9, line 7, at end insert ““made in the following categories”” The noble Lord said: In this group of amendments, Amendments Nos. 84 and 85 are the substantive ones. We seek to pursue further the question of priorities, which we sought to do earlier with regard to the nations of the UK. The amendments relate to priorities in England, but more generally. In respect of the division between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, this fund should be prioritised to those who need it most. In Amendment No. 84, we have used the phrase ““where need is greatest””; we used the phrase ““poverty”” in an earlier amendment, but the intention is the same. The reason for wishing to have this in the Bill is that it is sometimes the case that the people who are the best at putting in submissions for funds are not those who need the funds most. We have seen with a number of sporting bodies, not least with lottery distribution, that the more affluent areas were quickest off the mark in putting in the bids. I once looked at the distribution of money for tennis, and it was remarkable that many leafy suburbs had been successful in getting funding but that few inner cities had been successful. The Bill’s purpose should surely be that funds are concentrated in the areas that need it most; my fear is that unless we make that explicit in the Bill that will not necessarily happen—hence Amendment No. 84. With Amendment No. 85, we seek to ensure that money is spent most effectively. Here we are saying that a decision on how expenditure is made should include a consideration of both existing local provision and local need. Again, I am sure that it is the Government’s intention that that should be the principle that guides expenditure, but it is by no means clear that it will naturally flow. Therefore, it is a sensible refinement of the existing rather open conditions of the Bill that it would help to ensure that all the money distributed is distributed as effectively as possible. I beg to move.