To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what data are used to assess deprivation for the purposes of the policy directions given by the Government to the Big Lottery Fund on the proportion of the funds that are to be disbursed to Wales. (81659)

Decisions about the allocation of the funding between the nations of the UK are made by the Big Lottery Fund, not the Government. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on 16 January 2006, Official Report, column 952W, and to the subsequent letter from the chief executive of the fund, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.