MP Greg backs Tory plan to restore Lottery independence

Bexhill and Battle could benefit from an extra quarter of a million pounds in Lottery funding every year, under new proposals launched by Conservatives, says MP Gregory Barker.

He says the Labour Government has diverted Lottery money away from these causes, including pouring 544m of Lottery funds into the Millennium Dome.

He says that under the plans launched by Tory leader David Cameron:

'¢A National Lottery Independence Bill would free the Lottery from ministerial inference, return it to good causes and make it accountable to Parliament rather than the Government.

'¢End the waste of Lottery funds going to dubious projects which undermine public confidence. All Lottery distributors would be required to take into account the reputation of the Lottery as a whole when deciding grants.

'¢National Lottery distributors' administration costs would be capped, and the savings ploughed back into good causes.

'¢The way that Lottery tickets are taxed would be changed, moving away from a per-ticket tax to a gross profits tax on the Lottery operators. This would allow the operator more freedom to increase sales and therefore returns to good causes.

The party says its package of measures could see an extra 182m per year for grassroots sports, arts projects and the voluntary sector '“ equivalent to 280,000 per Parliamentary constituency, every year. This is enough money to pay for four grass pitches, two flood-lit outside tennis courts, or save an arts organisation which has experienced funding cuts by the Arts Council.

Mr Barker said: "Under Gordon Brown, Lottery money has been snatched from good causes by bureaucrats.

"The arts, sport, heritage and charities have all suffered. We need to give money back to local grassroots initiatives, and stop politicians in Whitehall interfering. I welcome these reforms, which could mean an extra quarter of a million pounds every year in Bexhill and Battle to improve quality of life."