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| Tories bid to 'transform Lottery' | Tories bid to 'transform Lottery' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The Tories plan a reform of the National Lottery which they say would end political interference, and ensure an extra £182m a year for good causes. | The Tories plan a reform of the National Lottery which they say would end political interference, and ensure an extra £182m a year for good causes. |
| Since 1998, £3.8bn for the National Lottery's four "good causes" has been diverted to fund government priorities like health and education, they say. | |
| They plan to introduce a bill that will ensure the money goes to the arts, sports, heritage and voluntary sector. | |
| The government denied the Lottery was subject to political interference. | |
| David Cameron says the Tories' proposal will "stop ministers grabbing Lottery cash". | |
| Under the plans, the National Lottery Independence Bill would introduce a gross profits tax regime for the Lottery and cap the administration costs of the bodies which distribute the money. | Under the plans, the National Lottery Independence Bill would introduce a gross profits tax regime for the Lottery and cap the administration costs of the bodies which distribute the money. |
| By funding grassroots initiatives that have nothing to do with politicians the National Lottery puts power into the hands of communities David CameronConservative leader | By funding grassroots initiatives that have nothing to do with politicians the National Lottery puts power into the hands of communities David CameronConservative leader |
| The Conservatives claim the additional cash it would deliver could provide 74 swimming pools or 173 athletics tracks a year, or restore funding to all organisations under threat from Arts Council cuts. | The Conservatives claim the additional cash it would deliver could provide 74 swimming pools or 173 athletics tracks a year, or restore funding to all organisations under threat from Arts Council cuts. |
| Launching the bill, Mr Cameron said: "By funding grassroots initiatives that have nothing to do with politicians the National Lottery puts power into the hands of communities and allows them to transform their quality of life. | Launching the bill, Mr Cameron said: "By funding grassroots initiatives that have nothing to do with politicians the National Lottery puts power into the hands of communities and allows them to transform their quality of life. |
| "Our National Lottery Independence Bill will end political interference, stop ministers grabbing Lottery cash and potentially generate an extra £182m for the good causes of the arts, sport, heritage and charities." | |
| Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Labour has never understood that the point of Lottery funds is that they should be independent of government. | Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Labour has never understood that the point of Lottery funds is that they should be independent of government. |
| "These reforms will cut the bloated bureaucracy of Lottery distributors and mean more money is used to back the initiative and enthusiasm of arts, sport, heritage and voluntary organisations - the very groups the Lottery was always meant to support." | "These reforms will cut the bloated bureaucracy of Lottery distributors and mean more money is used to back the initiative and enthusiasm of arts, sport, heritage and voluntary organisations - the very groups the Lottery was always meant to support." |
| The plans would also involve the renaming of the Big Lottery Fund to the Voluntary Action Lottery Fund to reflect the shift of emphasis in its activities. | The plans would also involve the renaming of the Big Lottery Fund to the Voluntary Action Lottery Fund to reflect the shift of emphasis in its activities. |
| But the government said the Tories had over-promised on the lottery and were trying to distract attention "with a host of false accusations." | |
| A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: "Ever since John Major set it up, grant decisions have been made at arms length from government. That remains the case. | |
| "It is ridiculous to suggest that we have cut funding to sports, arts and heritage projects - they also receive generous exchequer funding." | |
| The Tories' plans have a "huge black hole", the spokesman added. | |
| "They cannot promise everyone more money from the lottery - they need to be honest about which current and future funding they would cut," he said. |