Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. —(1) This Order may be cited as the Awards for All (England) Joint Scheme (Authorisation) Order 2004 and shall come into force on 1st April 2004.

(2) In this Order—

“the 1993 Act” means the National Lottery etc. Act 1993;

“the Awards for All (England) joint scheme” means the joint scheme entered into on 6th March 2002, and modified on 3rd March 2003, between the National Heritage Memorial Fund (which is also known as “the Heritage Lottery Fund”), the National Lottery Charities Board (which is also known as “the Community Fund”), the New Opportunities Fund, the English Sports Council (which is also known as “Sport England”) and the Arts Council of England( 2 ); and

any reference to a joint scheme is to a joint scheme falling within section 25B of the 1993 Act( 3 ).

Authorisation of joint scheme

2. —(1) The Secretary of State hereby authorises the Awards for All (England) joint scheme as modified by the agreement entered into on 1st March 2004 between the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Community Fund, the New Opportunities Fund, Sport England and the Arts Council of England (referred to below as “the modified joint scheme”).

(2) The Schedule to this Order (which, pursuant to paragraph 3 of Schedule 3A to the 1993 Act, contains a brief description of the nature, purposes and other particulars of the modified joint scheme) shall have effect.

Revocation

3.The Awards for All (England) Joint Scheme (Authorisation) Order 2003( 4 ) is hereby revoked.

Article 2(2)

SCHEDULE

1. The bodies participating in the modified joint scheme are the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Community Fund, the New Opportunities Fund, Sport England and the Arts Council of England.

2. —(1) The modified joint scheme provides for the making of grants of not more than £5,000 to local community groups to support activities—

(a) connected with the arts, sport or the national heritage;

(b) connected or concerned with health, education or the environment; or

(c) to be funded by charitable expenditure (within the meaning of section 44(1) of the 1993 Act).

(2) The purposes of the modified joint scheme are—

(a) to encourage more people to become involved in local groups and projects by supporting activities which are open and accessible to everyone who wishes to take part;

(b) to encourage the development of skills and creativity by supporting activities which are likely to develop the skills and creativity of those taking part; and

(c) to improve people’s quality of life by supporting projects which improve people’s opportunities, welfare or environment, especially those of persons who are the most disadvantaged in society.

3. The modified joint scheme applies to England only.

4. The maximum amount of money that may be distributed under section 25(1) of the 1993 Act in a year under the modified joint scheme is £75 million.

5. The money to be distributed under section 25(1) of the 1993 Act under the modified joint scheme is attributable to each of the participating bodies in the following proportions, that is to say—

(a) as to the Heritage Lottery Fund, 8 per cent;

(b) as to the Community Fund, 29 per cent;

(c) as to the New Opportunities Fund, 30 per cent;

(d) as to Sport England, 16 per cent; and

(e) as to the Arts Council of England, 17 per cent.

6. The modified joint scheme will have effect for a period of one year ending on 31st March 2005.