Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)

Again, I wish to raise a small point. It struck me, and it may have struck other Committee members, that the wording of subsection (1) is circular and slightly curious. It states:

''The Secretary of State may make an order permitting the Secretary of State to make payments from the National Lottery Distribution Fund''.

I had not come across this sort of circular drafting, and I wondered whether it was too circular to be necessary. I wonder whether the Minister might deal with that small point.

Subsection (3) requires the Secretary of State to consult each of the bodies currently mentioned in section 23 of the National Lottery Act. I have looked back at the Act as it was originally passed in 1993, and since then there have been some changes—new distributive bodies have been added, and the Government have announced that the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund will merge. What form will the consultation take in respect of the sporting distributive bodies under section 23 of the National Lottery Act?

Will the Government put on the record today that they will ensure that whatever consultation they have with sporting distributive bodies under the Act will take place in plenty of time? There have been occasions when concerns have been raised with me, as one of those in the House of Commons who regularly speaks on sport, that sometimes Government consultations with sporting bodies have been rather last minute, although I am not criticising this Minister personally because I know that he takes a personal interest in sport. Since subsection (3) introduces a need for consultation with all the distributive bodies, it would be helpful if the Minister were able to say on the record, so that it is in Hansard, that there will be full consultation with sporting bodies and others involved, in plenty of time.

Mr Don Foster (Bath, Liberal Democrat)

I have similar questions to those of the hon. Gentleman. I shall not waste the Committee's time by repeating them, but I would like to ask the Minister one further question. The purpose of the clause is to enable payments to come from the main lottery into the special Olympic fund. We know that the Olympic lottery game will itself not raise the total amount of money that we are committed to taking from the national lottery. The clause enables the Secretary of State to determine how much will come from each of the separate lottery funding streams. Will the Minister briefly give us an indication of whether the allocation will be as indicated in the regulatory impact assessment, namely an equal amount from each of the existing funds, or whether there is some other formula that the Government might have in mind?

Mr Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)

There are three factors. The first is the formula, as is set out in the regulatory impact assessment. We would use that formula and there would be equal top-slicing on that. Secondly, we are mindful that there should be consultation and a proper time period for it, and I give assurances here that we will endeavour to make sure that those consultations take place.

Thirdly, regarding the circular nature of the draft of subsection (1), it brings in the affirmative resolution procedure, giving parliamentary control, which is the object of clause 24 (1).

Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)

I am grateful to the Minister, particularly for that last point because, as he knows, I shall be putting forward some amendments seeking the use of the affirmative resolution procedure. It is helpful to know how that is achieved in the clause, and I welcome that.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 25 ordered to stand part of the Bill.