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National Lottery Act 2006
This Bill was not mentioned in the Queen’s speech, but appeared in the background notes.
The Bill will reform the National Lottery and establish the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) as the new body to distribute funds.
Having been introduced in the Commons in November 2004 the Bill had not reached its second reading stage when parliament was dissolved.
The Bill allows for a single new body with a “new good cause and a single set of simpler rules for those wishing to apply for Lottery money”. The BLF will replace the Community Fund, the New Opportunities Fund and the Millennium Commission and thus bring about efficiency savings.
In order to increase participation in lottery funding decisions the new legislation will give the distributors the powers to consult stakeholders and test public opinion before taking a decision.
The Bill will also legislate to get “more money to good causes more quickly” by providing a new system of allocating investment income from funds held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund for distributors.
By removing the incentive to keep balances high to boost investment income the whole system should become more transparent and keep balances low.
Progress
House of Commons
First reading: May 24 2005 (HC Bill 6)
Second reading: June 14 2005
Standing Committee A
Remaining stages: January 19 2006
House of Lords
First reading: January 20 2006 (HL Bill 67)
Second reading: February 6 2006
Committee:
Report stage: April 24 2006 [Bill as amended: HL Bill 97]
Third reading: May 23 2006
House of Commons
Consideration of Lords amendments: June 28 2006
House of Lords
Consideration of Commons reasons: July 11 2006
The Bill received Royal Assent on July 11 2006
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