7. Will the Minister make a statement on the distribution of lottery funding within Wales? OAQ54871

Thank you, Dawn. The National Lottery celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary last year. Since 1994 National Lottery players have supported around 50,000 projects across Wales with nearly £1.75 billion of investment. This obviously has had a transformational effect on funding for arts, sport, heritage, charitable causes and community projects throughout Wales.

Thank you for that response, Deputy Minister. I'd see first hand the value of lottery funding within my constituency, particularly when I meet community groups and other organisations that are local beneficiaries. However, I'm keen that all efforts are maximised to secure even more funding for our more disadvantaged communities. So, can you tell me what more could be done through your role in relation to the distribution of lottery funding to help meet the needs specifically of communities like Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney?

Well, I'm pleased to confirm that the lottery spending in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, as you know, amounts to over £13 million over the period of that spend and 70 projects have been completed or are currently in delivery. And you'll be aware, because we've visited some of these projects together, of the important work that has been done and is still being developed at the Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery, which was awarded an audiovisual project in January 2018. Now, as far as Cyfarthfa Park is concerned, the Cyfarthfa Park Rediscovered project application, submitted by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, is still open to further discussion—I can confirm this—between the borough council and the lottery. And I do hope that a way will be found to deliver this, because, clearly, community benefit is one of the tests of the effectiveness of lottery spend. I will continue to ensure, in my discussion with the National Lottery in Wales—I meet the chair and the chief executive on a very regular basis, and I'll make sure that these aspects are fully discussed at our next meeting.