UK National Lottery: Public to get say over UK Lottery cash
The public could be set to get a say on where the remainder of the UK National Lottery's money goes.
The new Lottery Bill could see Britons voting for their favourite good cause. It aims to increase competition in the bidding process for the licence to operate the Lottery.
Next week, the Big Lottery Fund, which hands out 50 per cent of all good causes money, will launch a new televised competition.
Called the People's Millions, the joint venture with ITV will allow viewers to vote for their favourite community projects of up to £50,000 via regional programmes.
For every £1 spent on National Lottery tickets, 28p goes to good causes. Nearly £17 billion has been raised for more than 190,000 projects in the past decade.
The Bill also outlines the creation of simpler rules to make it easier for groups to apply for grants and ensure that Lottery money reaches good cause projects more quickly. It also contains changes in the licensing and regulation of the Lottery.
The Bill will be debated in Parliament at its second reading at a date to be set. It could become law by the end of the year. This week, Lottery operator Camelot announced a £150 million increase in ticket sales in the year ending March 31.