Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

Debate between Clive Efford and Andrew Gwynne

Wednesday 8th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Clive Efford]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The Conservatives claim to be the party of localism, but they do nothing to encourage it.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Clive Efford]

If my hon. Friend does not mind, I will draw my remarks to a conclusion, because many Members wish to speak. [Interruption.] I know that what I have to say is upsetting for Government Members, but I am afraid that they will have to hear it all.

The Minister will no doubt say in her response that that is all Labour’s fault. In fact, she has already said just that:

“Any concerns about fixed odds betting machines should be laid firmly at Labour’s door. In 2000, these machines did not exist—by the time of the last general election there were over 30,000.”

FOBTs appeared in betting shops in 2001. In 2005 we limited them to four per shop. The Secretary of State at the time, my right hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Dame Tessa Jowell), set out on Second Reading of the Gambling Act 2005 that the impact of the machines would be reviewed, and my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford South (Mr Sutcliffe) made it clear in 2009 that he would do just that. It is no good going back to 2005, because the world has moved on. Online gambling has grown from nothing into a £2 billion-a-year industry. The Government rejected our proposals to regulate that, so we will take no lessons from them.