The Labour Party has moved to quell fears that the voluntary sector would lose out in its National Lottery funding plans, promising that after 2012 the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) will be given back the full proportion of money it relinquished to pay for the Olympics.

NCVO expressed concern after the party’s manifesto promised that the Olympic money would be given back to the arts, sport and culture, but did not mention BIG.

This was despite BIG having previously relinquished the majority of the Olympic funding.

However, a Labour spokesman said: “The commitment was given in the section on arts, culture and sport, which is why the VCS (voluntary and community sector) wasn't mentioned. 

“There was no attempt to exclude the VCS from this rule.  The same will apply to VCS too.”

In a statement, NCVO chief executive Stuart Etherington had said: “We would be concerned at any proposals to divert Lottery money away from voluntary organisations.”

Arts, sports and culture represent three of the four main National Lottery funding streams, with BIG administering the fourth, which focuses on charities, health, education and the environment.