Clause 21 - Licensing of Olympic Lotteries
Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery Bill
3:15 pm
Mr Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)
I do not think that that would be the case. I am talking about displacement from other good causes. If the proposal were taken to its logical conclusion, we could well find that the reduction in the take from the lottery for other good causes would mean a reduction in the sports lottery element. The
grass-roots part of that could well be used to finance the British Olympic and Paralympic teams. Many people involved in sports at grass-roots level would not welcome that. They would say that the investment was yet again going to the elite element of sports.
When lottery money is divided, there must be a balance between elite and grass-roots sports. We must consider that balance and keep revisiting it. The proposals would mean funding a special group of people through legislation. Money displaced from sport and other good causes would go directly to Team GB.