FOULKES ENDANGERS SCOTLAND'S LOTTERY FUNDING.

FOULKES ENDANGERS SCOTLAND'S LOTTERY FUNDING.

SNP MSP Christine Grahame has criticised Lord George Foulkes as he denied £150 million of lottery money had been diverted from Scotland to fund the London Olympics.

His ridiculous assertion comes despite statements from the UK Government and Scotland’s Voluntary sector to the contrary.

In November 2008 SCVO highlighted a fall in funding for Big Lottery Fund Scotland from £257 million in the previous three years to £90 million in 2009 – 11.

The Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and all parties are currently signed up to a cross party campaign to see £150 million of lottery funding assigned to the Commonwealth Games legacy – a consensus undermined by Lord Foulkes.

SNP MSP Christine Grahame said;

“Only Lord Foulkes can deny the undeniable.

“When the SNP and other parties are working with voluntary organisations and local authorities to secure lottery funding to build a legacy for the Commonwealth Games Lord Foulkes foolish attitude is not helpful.

“Voluntary organisations across Scotland, and the Lottery bodies in Scotland know their funding has been restricted as £150 million that should have come to Scotland has been transferred to fill the black hole in the London Olympic finances.

“Lord George should get out of his ivory tower and face the voluntary organisations and communities that are seeing their lottery funding cut as a result of Labour’s mismanagement of the London Olympic project.

“The Olympics in London should be a celebration of sport but it should not be coming at the cost of Scotland’s voluntary organisations and communities.”

1. Speaking in November 2008 Lucy McTernan, Acting Chief Executive of SCVO stated
"SCVO has been campaigning for months against the diversion of lottery funds to the Olympics as it has long been clear that the result would be significant cuts in the funds available for good causes. The scale of the cuts is truly devastating for the voluntary sector as many charities, voluntary organisations and community projects in Scotland depend on such funding for their survival. The Big Lottery Fund must use the opportunity of their consultation to ensure that 100% of BIG funding goes to the voluntary sector in future and that this money is in addition to government funding. We are also urging the UK Government to compensate Scottish charities for the loss of the lottery funding which was diverted to pay for the Olympics."

http://www.scvo.org.uk/scvo/TFNPR/ViewTFNPR.aspx?pr=8191&from=Home&al=t

2. S3M-04210 George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab) - Scottish Government Should Capitalise on 2012 London Olympics: That the Parliament rejects Christine Grahame’s claim that the UK Government is diverting £150 million of lottery funds in Scotland to help fund the 2012 London Olympics; accepts that Scotland receives more than a Barnett share and will continue to receive lottery funding; recognises that the games result from a UK bid, not just a London bid; notes that, although London is hosting the games, there are benefits across the UK, for example, football taking place at Hampden; sees the games as an opportunity for young athletes and competitors across Great Britain to benefit from a higher sporting profile; is aware that Scottish companies can bid for services and construction of facilities, boosting business; welcomes training camps in Scotland, where young Scottish sporting talent will benefit and prosper; recognises the associated tourism benefits that the games will bring to Scotland and many parts of the UK; is disappointed that motion S3M-4155 appears informed by anti-English sentiment, and regrets that an SNP member would rather express that sentiment than work to capitalise on the potential benefits that the games could bring to Scotland.