Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has plans to review the BBC licence fee.
Answered by John Whittingdale - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
The BBC's funding model faces major challenges to its sustainability due to changes in the way people consume media.
We remain committed to reviewing the licence fee model ahead of the next Charter period to explore the potential for alternative ways to ensure the BBC remains appropriately funded over the long-term.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
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 potential merits of (a) extending the Horserace Betting Levy to apply to bets on races taking place outside racing in Great Britain and (b) charging industry operators a levy based on their annual turnover.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its particular importance to the British rural economy.
In April 2017, we made significant reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy by fixing the Levy rate at 10% and extending the scope of the Horserace Betting Levy to include offshore online bookmakers for the first time. These reforms resulted in Levy income to support the racing industry totalling £83 million in 2018/19. In 2018/19 the Levy returned £83 million and in 2019/20 the Levy returned £97 million to racing. Even with the suspension of racing for a period due to covid the Levy returned £82 million in 2021/22 and then £97 million in 2021/22.
The Government is committed to review the Horserace Betting Levy by 2024. The department engages regularly with racing stakeholders including the British Horseracing Authority and we will consider carefully any information they provide. The Government will continue to work with the industry and the Levy Board to make sure the benefits of the Horserace Betting Levy are maximised.
The Sports Economy team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively engaging with the British horse racing industry to discuss their target markets internationally and how they can be supported in these regions. DIT is also working closely with the industry on the best way of attracting international investors into the British thoroughbred market and opportunities in the form of trade missions surrounding major international meetings with a strong UK presence.
British horseracing and breeding is promoted as part of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, showcasing the best of the UK in over 164 countries across the globe. This recognises the cultural and economic importance of horse racing to the UK and the role it plays as a soft power asset for the country internationally.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will bring forward the date of its review into the Horserace Betting Levy.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its particular importance to the British rural economy.
In April 2017, we made significant reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy by fixing the Levy rate at 10% and extending the scope of the Horserace Betting Levy to include offshore online bookmakers for the first time. These reforms resulted in Levy income to support the racing industry totalling £83 million in 2018/19. In 2018/19 the Levy returned £83 million and in 2019/20 the Levy returned £97 million to racing. Even with the suspension of racing for a period due to covid the Levy returned £82 million in 2021/22 and then £97 million in 2021/22.
The Government is committed to review the Horserace Betting Levy by 2024. The department engages regularly with racing stakeholders including the British Horseracing Authority and we will consider carefully any information they provide. The Government will continue to work with the industry and the Levy Board to make sure the benefits of the Horserace Betting Levy are maximised.
The Sports Economy team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively engaging with the British horse racing industry to discuss their target markets internationally and how they can be supported in these regions. DIT is also working closely with the industry on the best way of attracting international investors into the British thoroughbred market and opportunities in the form of trade missions surrounding major international meetings with a strong UK presence.
British horseracing and breeding is promoted as part of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, showcasing the best of the UK in over 164 countries across the globe. This recognises the cultural and economic importance of horse racing to the UK and the role it plays as a soft power asset for the country internationally.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote British thoroughbred horse (a) racing and (b) breeding internationally.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its particular importance to the British rural economy.
In April 2017, we made significant reforms to the Horserace Betting Levy by fixing the Levy rate at 10% and extending the scope of the Horserace Betting Levy to include offshore online bookmakers for the first time. These reforms resulted in Levy income to support the racing industry totalling £83 million in 2018/19. In 2018/19 the Levy returned £83 million and in 2019/20 the Levy returned £97 million to racing. Even with the suspension of racing for a period due to covid the Levy returned £82 million in 2021/22 and then £97 million in 2021/22.
The Government is committed to review the Horserace Betting Levy by 2024. The department engages regularly with racing stakeholders including the British Horseracing Authority and we will consider carefully any information they provide. The Government will continue to work with the industry and the Levy Board to make sure the benefits of the Horserace Betting Levy are maximised.
The Sports Economy team within the Department for International Trade (DIT) are actively engaging with the British horse racing industry to discuss their target markets internationally and how they can be supported in these regions. DIT is also working closely with the industry on the best way of attracting international investors into the British thoroughbred market and opportunities in the form of trade missions surrounding major international meetings with a strong UK presence.
British horseracing and breeding is promoted as part of the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign, showcasing the best of the UK in over 164 countries across the globe. This recognises the cultural and economic importance of horse racing to the UK and the role it plays as a soft power asset for the country internationally.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Gambling Commission’s ability to assess the conduct of licensed operators and their subsidiaries overseas when making an assessment of compliance with online advertising rules contained in its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.
Answered by Paul Scully
All gambling companies providing gambling facilities to consumers in Great Britain, wherever they are based, must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with the conditions and codes of practice of their operating licences. They are also held accountable by the Commission for the actions of their commercial partners, such as overseas operators marketed under a different brand for whom they provide services to customers based in Great Britain as part of a ‘white label’ agreement. Licensees are expected to carry out all necessary due diligence to ensure these agreements will not compromise their own regulatory compliance.
All licensed operators must ensure their marketing activities and those of their commercial partners are socially responsible, never targeted at children or vulnerable people, and compliant with the UK Advertising Codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA can refer operators to the Gambling Commission which can and does take enforcement action for non-compliance with the Codes.
The government is closely considering issues around gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship, and the powers and resources of the Gambling Commission, as part of its wide-ranging Review of the Gambling Act. We will publish a White Paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
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 (a) adequacy of the methodology used and (b) accuracy of the estimates of the level of suicides associated with problem gambling in the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms: evidence review, published on 30 September 2021.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Health and Social Care is undertaking a review and update of the Public Health England report ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’, to assess the accuracy of its estimates of suicide numbers. The updated report is in the final stage of review and will be published soon.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the Governnet's planned timetable is for the publication of Public Health England's cost estimates of harmful gambling and the addendum showing specific calculations.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Health and Social Care is undertaking a review and update of the Public Health England report ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’, to assess the accuracy of its estimates of suicide numbers. The updated report is in the final stage of review and will be published soon.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason the Gambling Commission allocated funding to NIESR to undertake a study of the Benefits and Costs of Gambling-Related Harm.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Gambling Commission does not commission projects but instead assesses any proposals that it receives. Regulatory settlements are a possible outcome of Gambling Commission enforcement action, and this may include the operator paying a financial amount for socially responsible purposes. When this occurs, the Commission may approve the destination of the financial element against set criteria, including that proposals must be for socially responsible purposes which address gambling related harms or other licensing objectives. More information on this process and destinations is available at the Commission website.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Public Health England's Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms, whether her Department has received representation from the Gambling Commission on that review's findings, including on suicides associated with problem gambling.
Answered by Paul Scully
DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling. The Commission has given the Department no formal advice relating to the findings and estimates in Public Health England’s (PHE) evidence review on gambling related harm. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is reviewing the evidence published in the PHE’s review of the social and economic costs of gambling, and plans to publish an update.
Protecting people from gambling harms remains a priority for the government and the Gambling Commission, and we will be led by the best evidence to ensure the right protections are in place.
Asked by: Scott Benton (Independent - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Lancet, entitled Policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling: an international Delphi consensus and implementation rating study, published in August 2022, what recent discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on that article's proposals to introduce a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol at land-based gambling venues including bingo clubs, casinos and racecourses.
Answered by Paul Scully
Public Health England commissioned the Delphi study in question alongside their independent review of the evidence on gambling-related harms. As is protocol for studies of this kind, the participants have been kept anonymous but the Commission has not provided any formal advice or notification to the Department on the report’s content or recommendations. DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling.
Issues around the advertising and marketing of gambling and the rules governing land-based gambling form part of the broad scope of the government's Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are closely considering all evidence on these and other topics, and will set out our conclusions and proposals for reform in a white paper to be published in the coming weeks.