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National Lottery
Sir Hector Monro: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his plans for the development of policy on the distribution of lottery proceeds. [35631]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: I am writing today to the chairmen of the Scottish lottery distributing bodies to consult them on a change to the policy directions issued to the Scottish Arts Council under section 26(1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. This would allow an amount of revenue funding to help arts organisations gain long-term financial viability, in a way which would not substitute for existing grant in aid.
The programme would aim to help arts organisations consider and in some cases change their objectives and the markets within which they operate; inject new creative,
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technical and managerial skills into the organisations to help them achieve their objectives; provide balance sheet stability; and deliver better value for money.
The consultation which I have launched will last until 23 August. I will then consider the responses to the consultation process, with a view to announcing any change to the directions as soon as possible.
Lincolnshire Councils
Mr. Michael Brown: To ask the Lord President of the Council when borough status will be awarded to the North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire councils. [33954]
Mr. Newton: Subject to the resolution of certain outstanding issues, it is hoped that the petitions for the grant of charters conferring borough status on the North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire district councils can be submitted to Her Majesty the Queen later this month.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the constituencies he has visited in the past three months on official business and the constituencies he intends to visit in the next three months; and if he will make a statement. [34359]
Mr. Newton: On 5 April I visited the Merton drug action team, which covers my hon. Friends' constituencies of Mitcham and Morden and of Wimbledon. I have no plans to visit other hon. Members' constituencies on official business in the next three months.
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