IN line with its election pledge to make lottery funding more relevant to the public, the government today announced plans to inject £100 million of lottery money into cancer care. It will go to charitable groups involved in local schemes such as scanner appeals, screening programmes and health promotion.
Certainly, this is much more "relevant" than many of the bizarre and frivolous causes that have received lottery millions up to now.
And it is stressed that this money will not replace government spending on the NHS, funded by the taxpayer. Nor should it ever.
But people would find it much more relevant if all lottery money went to health and education as these are under-resourced vital causes that could make good use of the extra money - and much better use than some of the causes that get it now.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article