Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

Debate between Clive Efford and Damian Collins

Wednesday 8th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Clive Efford]

Absolutely. There are eminent people in the Responsible Gambling Trust and I endorse what my hon. Friend says, but I do have something to say about the research.

The concerns about FOBTs and the impact that betting shops have on our communities are not just about gambling. We will wait for proper research, but the Minister needs to understand that saying that we will wait for the research and then doing nothing to gather the information that we need to make informed decisions is just not good enough. After all, this Government scrapped the gambling prevalence survey. Let me quote again from her press release:

“This Government is undertaking the biggest ever study into the effect of these machines and have made clear that we will not hesitate to take action if the evidence points in that direction. To act without evidence is inappropriate and extraordinarily cynical, even by Labour’s standards.”

The Government are deluding themselves if they think that all the answers will come from the current study. In December, NatCen published a scoping report that states:

“Across the category B estate in Great Britain, there is a great deal of inconsistency in the level and type of data collected.”

That will seriously undermine the ability of the Responsible Gambling Trust to give us the information we need to make informed decisions when the research is completed next autumn. As the Minister well knows, the report will come out six months away from a general election, yet it will be inconclusive because the data are not robust enough to allow us to make informed decisions on FOBTs.

[Damian Collins (Folkestone and Hythe) (Con)]

Labour’s motion says that local authorities should have the power to license the number of FOBTs in existing betting shops. Will the hon. Gentleman confirm that that would allow a local authority to increase the number per shop on the high street today?

[Clive Efford]

No, because we would not allow the cap to extend beyond four per shop.

[Damian Collins]

That is not what it says in the motion.

[Clive Efford]

The motion says that local authorities would have to limit the number. We certainly would not lift the cap.