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National Archives
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): I am today announcing with my right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Social Exclusion (Hilary Armstrong) that, as a result of joint work between the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Cabinet Office, the National Archives and the Office of Public Sector Information will merge, under the joint name of the National Archives. The combined organisation will lead on information policy and support effective delivery of records and information management across government and the wider public sector. This merger will take effect in October 2006.
The National Archives already plays a critical role in managing the UK's public records and archive management UK-wide. The Office of Public Sector Information, incorporating Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO), leads the management of Crown copyright, regulates the reuse of public sector information and, through its HMSO function, has responsibility for legislation and official publishing. This merger therefore presents opportunities to reinforce the growing links between our respective strands of information policy and advisory functions, while building on our specialist skills and expertise to provide a joined-up approach to information management and therefore benefit all who work in the information field.
National Lottery
Lord Davies of Oldham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Tessa Jowell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
As indicated in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's five-year plan, which was deposited in the House Libraries on 17 March 2005, we undertook a public consultation between 25 November 2005 and 28 February 2006 about lottery funding for the good causes of arts and film, heritage and sport after 2009. I am now announcing the outcome and my decision on future arrangements.
The public told us that there is overwhelming support for what lottery money is used for in the arts and film, heritage and sport and that there is very
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strong support for the existing share balance; people believe very strongly that each cause is important and they want stability and continuity. So I am delighted to announce my decision, which is that I will retain the current lottery shares for arts, sport and heritage for 10 years from 2009 to 2019.
The Olympic funding package will remain: £750 million from new lottery games and £410 million from existing causes after 2009.
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We have concluded that there is no case for changing the current, population-based, arrangement for lottery funding for arts and sport between the home countries.
The UK Film Council will in future take on all film funding from Arts Council England and I will present a statutory instrument to Parliament to make a small adjustment to the percentage shares to reflect the present level of expenditure on capital grants for film of £3 million a year.
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