Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Walmsley (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Tuesday, 2 February 2010.

Banks: Dormant Accounts

Question: My Lords, I suspected that the answer would be a big fat zero and I have not been disappointed. Is the Minister aware that none of the youth groups with which I have talked knows anything at all about this, and that the Big Lottery Fund, which will distribute the money eventually, has not even had its policy direction from the Government? Will the Minister ensure that when the policy direction is sent, it is as flexible as possible so that the Big Lottery Fund can respond to what young people really want rather than to what Whitehall prescribes?

Answer: The direction to the Big Lottery Fund lies within the authority of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, after consultation with DCMS and HMT. That direction will be given in due course, but, first, we must follow the procedures decreed by Parliament to establish and authorise the reclaim fund. Once that has been done, the mechanisms will be set in place to address the priorities which have been very clearly delineated in the 2009 PBR.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 717 c112
Session: 2009-10
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Bank services Finance Youth services Big Lottery Fund Dormant assets scheme
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk