II. THE MILLENNIUM
COMMISSION: ORIGINS AND PRINCIPLES
4. The Millennium Commission was established in February
1994 to receive and distribute one fifth of the proceeds of the
National Lottery available for good causes. Unlike the other National
Lottery distribution bodies, the Millennium Commission was intended
to have a limited life-span. In June 1994, the founding Chairman,
the Rt Hon Peter Brooke MP, announced the Commission's broad strategy.[15]
The Commission's aim was to mark the close of the second millennium
and celebrate the start of the third and to encourage projects
throughout the nation which enjoyed public support and would be
lasting monuments to the achievements and aspirations of the people
of the United Kingdom.[16]
5. The Millennium Commission provided funds for many
projects through a range of initiatives such as the capital projects
programme, the Millennium Award scheme, the Millennium Festival
and the Millennium Exhibition at Greenwich. In addition to the
capital projects programme and the Dome, which have received the
bulk of media and political attention, the Commission supported
more than 150 smaller, capital schemes with a regional or local
emphasis and "umbrella projects" that covered schemes
with a common theme. Such "umbrella projects" included
projects that individually would have been too small to apply
for a Millennium Commission grant.[17]
6. During our first inquiry into the millennium celebrations
in the United Kingdom, we saw "an impressive and attractive
presentation" from the organising committee of the Isle of
Mull's millennium festivities—charmingly entitled the "Mullennium
celebrations".[18]
We met representatives of the Mullennium Committee again this
year on the Isle of Mull and were impressed with the range and
quality of the activities organised by such a small group. Alongside
many of the smaller and less noticed projects supported by the
Millennium Commission—such as the Millennium Greens, the
rehanging of church bells and improvements to community halls—the
"Mullennium celebrations" demonstrate that the millennium
has meant far more than parties and capital projects.[19]
Marking the millennium has had a genuine and beneficial impact
on communities across the United Kingdom.
15 Evidence, p 130; HC (1997-98) 340-II, p 30. Back
16 The
Millennium Commission, Annual Report 1997-98. Back
17 Evidence,
p 121. Back
18 HC
(1997-98) 818-I, para 4. Back
19 Q
472; Evidence, p 122. Back
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