Sir, The aim of both Treasury and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is to increase the quality of life for all in the UK. This can only be achieved if an overall programme is in place, with a person in the Treasury responsible for prioritising this aim.

When I campaigned for six years to bring in the National Lottery, I proposed that it should be seen as a raffle, set up, like the Nuffield, as an independent charitable foundation. Its aim was to support and stimulate participation, at grassroots level, in all forms of physical and creative activities.

The recent reports from the universities of Bath and Bristol about physical inactivity and obesity show that there is no adequate programme to help to involve everyone in daily physical activity that is sufficient to reduce the risks of obesity and other expensive ills.

The initiatives started by Ed Balls and Gordon Brown to improve quality of life are excellent, but their scale is insufficient to reach out to all the grassroots permanently. Tackling crime reduction, gang culture, drugs and alcohol abuse must be expanded.

Reorganising of both state and lottery funding towards this all-out participation programme is the strongest way to achieve change. One supports the other, with constant, professionally mounted publicity to help to stimulate the activity, dependent not just on funding, but on inspiration and motivation. Camelot’s new contract is the ideal moment for an efficient reconstruction.

DENIS VAUGHAN, Council for the Advancement of Arts, Recreation and Education London WC2

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