To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for funding to (a) the National Lottery, (b) the Big Lottery Fund and (c) Reaching Communities were refused in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and what percentage of applications were refused in each year. (114352)

The Department has never collected comprehensive information about the number of Lottery applications. The number of unsuccessful applications to all Lottery distributors could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.

According to information supplied by the Big Lottery Fund, the Reaching Communities programme was opened to applications in December 2005. Since then, there have been 987 applications. 272 awards have been made and 715 applications (about 72 per cent.) were unsuccessful.

Most Big Lottery Fund programmes other than Reaching Communities have been operating for less than two years, so it would not be meaningful to break the figures down by year. In total, 64,505 applications have gone to decision of which 45,422 were successful and 19,083 (just under 30 per cent.) unsuccessful.