Conservative constituencies, including the Ludlow constituency, receive almost £11 million less than their Labour counterparts - and would receive almost £2.2 billion extra if they were funded at the same level as Labour constituencies.
Latest research shows that Labour constituencies received almost twice as much as Conservative constituencies under the Health, Education and Environment funding stream - which has faced accusations since it was introduced in 1998 that it is funding projects which should be paid for out of general taxation.
Seventy per cent of the 50 best funded constituencies have Labour MPs - nearly half of them past or present members of the Government. On average, Labour constituencies have received £30.2 million in lottery funding since 1995. By contrast, Conservative constituencies have received, on average, just £19.2 million. The Ludlow constituency has received £19.9 million.
Mr Dunne said: "Astonishingly, five of the twelve members of the Big Lottery Fund board are members of the Labour Party. The National Lottery should not be used as a political football. Many charities are being denied much needed funding as millions of pounds are diverted to Labour heartlands."
He added: "I have raised concerns in Parliament that lottery funding for heritage in particular is under threat from this Government. The Ludlow constituency has much heritage to protect and 29% of the total it has received from the Lottery since 1995 has gone to heritage restoration projects."
Lottery Funding
Member | Constituency | Arts | Charitable Expenditure | Heritage | Millenium |
Philip Dunne | Ludlow | £2,623,412 | £4,120,135 | £5,718,860 | £1,036,240 |
Lotter Funding continued... | |||||
Sports | Health, Education, Environment | Total | Party | ||
£4,145,954 | £2,253,067 | £19,897,668 | CON | ||
