The consultation allows the sector to comment on the policy directions the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) intends to issue to the lottery distributor until the National Lottery Bill comes into effect. The NCVO claims that it is not Compact compliant as it only allows nine weeks for organisations to respond instead of 12 as stated in the Compact. In addition, it is concerned that the process started at the end of July, meaning much of the consultation period is during August when many people will be on annual leave. Under the Compact, allowance should be made for holiday periods.

Campbell Robb, NCVO’s director of public policy, said: “While NCVO welcomes the initiative taken by the DCMS to consult with the sector over future policy direction of the BLF we are concerned over the timescale given for responses. The Compact was established to ensure effective consultation with the sector and it is disappointing that a positive step forward in terms of consultation with the sector does not meet agreed timescales to ensure maximum participation and that the consultation is effective.”

A spokesman for the DCMS responded to the NCVO’s claims by saying that the Compact recognises that 12 weeks of consultation is not always possible, and that a minimum of eight weeks is acceptable under such circumstances. “We are also keen to develop and launch the new funding programmes and don’t want to cause any unnecessary delay for those wishing to apply for them,” he said.