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Viscount Falkland: My Lords, I was not suggesting that. I tried to suggest that falling lottery sales were for reasons that we must discuss at a later date. I did not want to give the impression that I was linking the falling lottery takings to the view of ticket buyers about the good causes.

Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, I am extremely grateful for that intervention. If I slightly

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misinterpreted what the noble Viscount said earlier, I apologise. I merely sought to emphasise that we have a real anxiety about falling lottery sales—that goes without saying, because it means that the good causes that we hold dear will receive less as time goes by. That affects all the good causes, but, as we shall have the opportunity more appropriately to debate, that is not the root cause of the lottery's present problems. In any case, we hope that sales may pick up again in due course.

I reiterate that there are proper criticisms to advance about this relatively new, young body, which itself is involved in promoting initiatives. The noble Baroness, Lady Buscombe, will recognise my difficulty in discussing its achievements. It is a relatively new organisation that is pump-priming to get initiatives and new, creative ideas off the ground. To expect it to achieve a return on its capital in the limited time involved is asking a great deal. There are successes among its initiatives, but the real successes will show themselves over a rather longer time span than we have thus far had.

Suffice it to say that we now have an accounting procedure and a recognition of how NESTA's reports should be presented that will guarantee that we can effectively monitor the use of the additional money that I hope will be agreed for it to further its objectives, which are shared in all parts of the House. Accordingly, I commend the order to the House.

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House adjourned at seventeen minutes past seven o'clock.

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