Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what analysis he has carried out on the factors contributing to disparities in suicide rates in males and females.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Every suicide is a tragedy that has a devastating and enduring impact on families, friends, and communities. In England, men account for the majority of suicide deaths, and the male suicide rate is approximately three times higher than the female rate.
That is why we are committed to delivering the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. The strategy highlights a set of priority groups for tailored and targeted support, including middle-aged men, and identifies key risk factors with strong links to suicide, such as financial difficulty, substance misuse, social isolation, harmful gambling, domestic abuse, and physical illness, and that can affect men and women differently. We will deliver a Suicide Prevention Pathfinders Programme for middle-aged men, a neighbourhood-based programme focused on improving outcomes, investing up to £3.6 million over three years for middle-aged men in areas where they are at greatest risk of taking their own lives.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her planned timetable is for appointing a permanent Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The appointment of a permanent Chief Executive is a matter for the Gambling Commission. The Commission will identify a preferred candidate, with the appointment subject to the Secretary of State approving the terms and conditions. Officials are in regular contact with the Gambling Commission in relation to this appointment.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential economic impact of the full implementation of financial risk assessments on gambling on the horse racing industries.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its importance to the British economy. Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy which helps to drive improvements in the sport.
The Government remains committed to supporting the implementation of key measures in the 2023 white paper, including the introduction of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs).
Following the conclusion of its pilot on FRAs, the Gambling Commission has continued to engage with gambling operators and other stakeholders. As the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission will decide how to implement FRAs based on the best available evidence.
The Gambling Commission has recently published an updated blog on its pilot findings and plans to publish the pilot data, including updated impact assessment results following implementation decision, as is standard practice.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on the suitability of the current ownership arrangements of the Health Lottery.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS Ministers and officials have had no discussions with the Gambling Commission on the ownership arrangements of the Health Lottery.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of restrictions under section 333(6) of the Gambling Act 2005 to the powers of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to make regulations on the remote advertising of gambling following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union; and what plans they have to restore any powers that have been lost.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government regularly reviews the effectiveness of gambling regulation in Great Britain.
We are not considering an amendment to the Gambling Act 2005 in relation to the remote advertising of gambling at this time.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact on the horseracing industry of the full implementation of financial risk assessments for gambling.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its importance to the British economy. Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy which helps to drive improvements in the sport.
The Government remains committed to supporting the implementation of key measures in the 2023 white paper, including the introduction of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs).
Following the conclusion of its pilot on FRAs, the Gambling Commission has continued to engage with gambling operators and other stakeholders. As the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission will decide how to implement FRAs based on the best available evidence.
The Gambling Commission has recently published an updated blog on its pilot findings and plans to publish the pilot data, including updated impact assessment results following implementation decision, as is standard practice.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to Question 122645 of 23 March 2026, whether she has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to clarify or amend the regulatory boundary between the Financial Conduct Authority and the Gambling Commission for sports spread betting and other non-financial spread betting products.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
As set out in the government’s previous answer on 31 March, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has clarified that non-financial spread betting products are not financial instruments, and that the FCA’s regulatory framework does not account for gambling activity in relation to events which are not connected to financial markets. The Gambling Commission does not licence products whose name, branding or marketing contain language associated with financial products.
The government and parliament are responsible for setting the remits for the FCA and Gambling Commission, including setting out in legislation what types of activities are regulated. The remits of both regulators are detailed and complex, reflecting the diversity and complexity of products available. Responsibility for determining this is a cross-departmental effort.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2026 to Question 122645 on Sports: Regulation, and with reference to the FCA Perimeter Report published in March 2026, which regulator Parliament has conferred powers upon for the regulation of sports spread betting and other non-financial spread betting products.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
As set out in the government’s previous answer on 31 March, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has clarified that non-financial spread betting products are not financial instruments, and that the FCA’s regulatory framework does not account for gambling activity in relation to events which are not connected to financial markets. The Gambling Commission does not licence products whose name, branding or marketing contain language associated with financial products.
The government and parliament are responsible for setting the remits for the FCA and Gambling Commission, including setting out in legislation what types of activities are regulated. The remits of both regulators are detailed and complex, reflecting the diversity and complexity of products available. Responsibility for determining this is a cross-departmental effort.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, from the allocations of gambling levy funds already announced, how many allocations have been given to projects targeted at prisoners or people on probation; and what is the total amount of those allocations.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In April 2025, the statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harm in Great Britain. As part of the transition to the new levy system, commissioners are working collaboratively on the development of their programmes, drawing on expertise from across the system.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and NHS England ran separate voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) prevention and treatment grants, commissioning various projects to support people at risk of, or experiencing, gambling-related harms, and affected others.
On 7 April, OHID published a list of 33 organisations provisionally awarded over £25.4 million of funding for 2026 to 2028 through the prevention grant. Funding has been provided to organisations supporting a range of population groups, including those working with prisoners and people on probation. This will support OHID’s 'test and learn' approach to better understanding which interventions are most effective in preventing gambling harm.
NHS England has also made provisional grant funding offers to 19 VCSE organisations providing a range of treatment and support services across England.
Whilst work to finalise grant agreements is underway, it is not possible to confirm the number of levy allocations or a total funding amount targeting specific groups, including prisoners or people on probation.
The Government remains committed to tackling gambling-related harms and will continue to work with partners across the Government, including the Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Service, and the sector to identify priority populations and settings where levy-funded action may have the greatest impact. OHID is also separately distributing £12 million to upper-tier local councils for 2026 to 2027 to help them prevent and reduce gambling-related harms.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to commission non-NHS community-based programmes or peer support programmes to reduce gambling and gambling-related harms among prisoners and those on probation using gambling levy funds.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In April 2025, the statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harm in Great Britain. As part of the transition to the new levy system, commissioners are working collaboratively on the development of their programmes, drawing on expertise from across the system.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and NHS England ran separate voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) prevention and treatment grants, commissioning various projects to support people at risk of, or experiencing, gambling-related harms, and affected others.
On 7 April, OHID published a list of 33 organisations provisionally awarded over £25.4 million of funding for 2026 to 2028 through the prevention grant. Funding has been provided to organisations supporting a range of population groups, including those working with prisoners and people on probation. This will support OHID’s 'test and learn' approach to better understanding which interventions are most effective in preventing gambling harm.
NHS England has also made provisional grant funding offers to 19 VCSE organisations providing a range of treatment and support services across England.
Whilst work to finalise grant agreements is underway, it is not possible to confirm the number of levy allocations or a total funding amount targeting specific groups, including prisoners or people on probation.
The Government remains committed to tackling gambling-related harms and will continue to work with partners across the Government, including the Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Service, and the sector to identify priority populations and settings where levy-funded action may have the greatest impact. OHID is also separately distributing £12 million to upper-tier local councils for 2026 to 2027 to help them prevent and reduce gambling-related harms.