LETTER:Fine-tuning the lottery

From Mr Denis Vaughan

Sir: There can be no doubt the National Lottery has delivered to Britain a capacity for greater funding of sport, charities and the arts than previously possible. But the success of the National Lottery is not limited to its achievements to date; a greater potential for funding of the arts, sports and charities is yet to be realised.

When I argued for a lottery, back in 1989, few believed it could happen, and fewer could see the limitless possibilities of using the lottery as a vehicle to increase participation and enthusiasm in sport and the arts.

Today, the success of the lottery speaks for itself, but we cannot be complacent with the achievement to date. The future of the National Lottery depends on ensuring we work to maximise the funds available to the good causes and that the original purpose of the lottery - to increase the quality of life for us all - is not forgotten.

We must focus our attention on fine-tuning the success of the National Lottery. Our aims are simple: the abolition of the 12 per cent tax on the lottery, redrafting the lottery licence in the form of a service contract and adjusting the distribution process to ensure that 80 per cent of all good-cause funds go to the National Lottery Charities Board, leaving the minimum five per cent required by law to each of the other four beneficiaries.

Despite its success we should not be content with the present state of the National Lottery. There are still many jackpots to be realised.

Yours sincerely,

Denis Vaughan

Executive Director

The Lottery Promotion Company

London, WC2