The motion, tabled by Broxtowe's Nick Palmer, "notes with incredulity" the proposal and recalls "earlier eccentric payments" such as the use of £12m of lottery cash to buy the diaries of Sir Winston Churchill.

The motion goes on to call for the abolition of "the cumbersome and opaque distribution ... by anonymous boards" of lottery funds in favour of supplementing charities' income in proportion to the donations they receive.

It also says that the allocation of lottery money should reflect "the priorities of the British people, rather than the whims of anonymous unelected individuals."

Preserving the collection for the nation

Two bids to buy the Moore collection are before the Heritage Lottery Committee.

One has been submitted by the Preston-based Football Museum, the other by Moore's former club, West Ham. Both bids have the backing of the Football Association.

Sports Minister Tony Banks has also supported the idea of preserving the medals for the nation.

Bobby Moore, who captained England in their 1966 World Cup triumph, died in 1993 from cancer, aged 53.

His first wife, Tina, is offering many of his medals and 108 caps for sale. She values the collection at more than £2m, though the lottery will not provide all the money.