Junior children’s minister Tim Loughton has reportedly said that ministers have little idea what David Cameron’s Big Society idea actually means.

Loughton made the admission, which has been widely reported in the national press, in a lecture at the House of Lords organised by volunteering charity CSV.

He said: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a voluntary organisation in possession of a good idea and in want of a meeting with a minister will use the buzz phrase 'big society' before breakfast, lunch and dinner – to open with a cacophonous car crash of mixed misquotes."

He went on: “The trouble is that most people don’t know what the Big Society really means, least of all the unfortunate ministers who have to articulate it.

“What actually is the Big Society, let alone is it good or not? Exactly how big is it now or is it going to be? Is it in fact Ann Widdecombe?

“Is it a very British thing? Or is it another American import?”

Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham told the Daily Telegraph: “Tim Loughton should at least get credit for saying what the rest of the country has been thinking.”

Last week Loughton set the cat amongst the pigeons by telling a conference of youth organisations that most of the funding from the Big Society Bank would be allocated to groups dealing with children and young people. 

Yesterday minister for civil society Nick Hurd said this wasn't the case; that although there would be a "high-level policy direction" that some of the funds should be directed to community-led youth projects, it would ultimately be up to the Bank itself to decide how to spend its money.