HC Deb 23 January 1968 vol 757 cc189-90
6. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the evidence submitted to him by the hon. Member for South Bedfordshire in favour of a £1 million a week prize State lottery producing a net profit to the Exchequer of £200 million a year, he will take steps to introduce such a weekly lottery.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

My hon. Friend's suggestion will receive the same consideration as do the many other suggestions for raising revenue which I receive.

Mr. Roberts

This may be what I am afraid of. Would not my right hon. Friend agree that a lottery of this type, given maximum publicity—with £1 million in prizes being shown on television and tickets costing Is. each on sale in shops generally—could contribute materially to Exchequer revenue?

Mr. Jenkins

My hon. Friend should bear in mind that I have not yet had very much opportunity for considering suggestions for raising revenue, so we had better see how that works out. I will, of course, take all considerations into account, including the factors which he has quite fairly brought to the notice of the House. Hon. Members will be aware that there is a Private Member's Bill in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Cleveland (Mr. Tinn) due to be discussed in the near future.

Mr. Tinn

Would my right hon. Friend seriously consider giving his support to that Bill, to which I hope the House will give a Second Reading?

Sir G. Nabarro

Certainly not.

Mr. Jenkins

I will certainly be interested to see what view the House takes on the Bill.

Sir G. Nabarro

Will the Chancellor bear in mind the fact that there is a good deal of opinion in this House and elsewhere that gambling in Britain is already excessive and that for the State to add no the burden would be immoral and unacceptable to millions of men and women in this country? Will he study the Churches Commission on Gambling to ascertain the facts of the situation?

Mr. Jenkins

In. my previous job I had a good deal of contact with the Churches Commission on Gambling, and, on the whole, I prefer to have the Commission's advice direct rather than via the hon. Gentleman—however powerful, even if unauthorised, a spokesman he may be.