Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What steps he is taking to reduce gambling-related harm.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The government published the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures in May. This set out measures to strengthen protections around gaming machines, including cutting the maximum stake on B2 machines from £100 to £2, and on online gambling and gambling advertising. It also set out action on treatment and support for those who experience harm, including initiatives to improve the evidence on treatment needs and effectiveness, expand access to existing services and strengthen the voluntary system for funding support. We take gambling-related harm very seriously and will work closely across Government and with the Gambling Commission to build on the actions outlined in the Review.Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the timetable is for the reduction in the maximum bet on fixed odds betting terminals.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The change to stakes will be delivered through secondary legislation.
We intend to lay the draft affirmative regulations before Parliament, for the usual process of approval, in the Autumn term.
A date for implementation of the change will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the technological changes needed for a reduction in maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals to be completed.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
On 17 May, as part of its response to the Consultation on proposed changes for Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures, the Government announced that the maximum stake for B2 machines would be reduced to £2. Officials have made good progress on drafting the SI to implement the change and will continue to engage with stakeholders on the technological requirements.Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what engagement she has had with (a) the gambling industry and (b) Gamblers Anonymous on the reduction in maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Ministers have regular meetings with stakeholders to discuss a range of issues including the stake reduction on B2 machines. Details of Ministerial meetings are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the technological changes bookmakers would need to undertake to ensure that maximum stakes on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals are to be reduced from £100 to £2.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
As the Government's response to the Consultation on proposals for changes to Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures set out on 17th May, a key priority for implementation will be engaging with the gambling industry to ensure that there is an appropriate lead-in period to enable technological changes needed for the reduction in maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to be completed.
Alongside the response to the consultation, the Government also published an Impact Assessment (IA) which set out the costs and benefits associated with this policy. The IA can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has undertaken an impact assessment of legislative proposals to limit maximum stakes on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to £2 on (a) customers and (b) the wider community.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
As the Government's response to the Consultation on proposals for changes to Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures set out on 17th May, a key priority for implementation will be engaging with the gambling industry to ensure that there is an appropriate lead-in period to enable technological changes needed for the reduction in maximum stake on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals to be completed.
Alongside the response to the consultation, the Government also published an Impact Assessment (IA) which set out the costs and benefits associated with this policy. The IA can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to bring forward legislative proposals to increase the delay between spins or plays on fixed odds betting terminals to reduce the addictive nature of those terminals.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The consultation on proposals for changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures closed on 23 January. The Government will publish its response in due course.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to publish the results of his Department's consultation on proposals for changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The consultation on proposals for changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures closed on 23 January. The Government will publish its response in due course.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on the digital and tech industries of the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The UK digital sector currently is worth over £116 billion a year. Ensuring the sector remains strong and at the forefront of innovation is a priority for us. We published the UK Digital Strategyin March 2017, with further investment of over £500m into emerging tech announced in the November 2017 Budget and Industrial Strategy. These put in place the conditions for the UK’s digital sectors to remain world-leading, while also ensuring that the benefits of digital are felt by every business and every individual across the country.
The UK will remain open for business, and will strengthen trading ties with both Europe and the rest of the world.
Asked by: Danielle Rowley (Labour - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the effect of fixed-odds betting terminals on gambling addiction rates in Midlothian constituency in the last three years.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
Neither the Department, nor the Gambling Commission, hold information on gambling addiction rates in individual constituencies.
We published a consultation on gaming machines and social responsibility in October. This includes measures to strengthen protections around online gambling and gambling advertising, which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures