HC Deb 30 June 1964 vol 697 cc1296-7
Mr. Maurice Macmillan

I beg to move Amendment 6, in page 8, line 28, to leave out from "offers" to "and" in line 29 and to insert: stated odds for a choice of bets, being bets of a description not commonly made without such an invitation, unless made by way of pool betting, and not of a description commonly made by means of a totalisator. This is an Amendment which I undertook, during the Committee stage, to try to table. It is a method of excluding from coupon betting duty the ante-post advertisements in the newspapers. The reason for the somewhat complicated wording of the new definition arises from the need to find a form of words which excludes only ante-post betting and not some forms of coupon and fixed odds betting. This form of words has been discussed with the bookmakers concerned, and I can assure the House that it is possible for them to advertise without attracting duty, and yet at the same time I am advised that the wording is such that the type of operations which we seek to tax will not escape.

Mr. Callaghan

I had representations from the bookmakers telling me that the Chancellor would not collect any duty because this kind of betting would cease. Could the Economic Secretary tell the House whether the bookmakers are satisfied that the way the Clause is now drawn will both enable them to make a living and give the Chancellor some revenue?

Mr. Macmillan

The representations the hon. Member has received concern the duty generally. This Amendment concerns one narrow section, the exclusion of ante-post betting in horse and dog races because they are advertised in a particular form of words which is becoming normal in the newspapers. It is a matter of preventing a newspaper advertisement from being classified as a coupon for the purpose of the Clause. It does not affect the provisions of the Clause itself.

Amendment agreed to.