§ 25. Mr. Woodnuttasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend Schedule I of Statutory Instrument No. 1110 to include the Isle of Wight.
§ Mr. Elysian MorganAfter consulting the Gaming Board, my right hon. Friend does not propose to amend the Schedule to permit clubs for gaming other than bingo, bridge or whist to be licensed in the Isle of Wight.
§ Mr. WoodnuttIn this unreasonable discrimination, does not the hon. Gentleman feel that his right hon. Friend has given a most unfair competitive advantage to those few resorts which are now allowed to permit casinos? Why has he chosen Portsmouth and not the Isle of Wight, why Southampton and not South-sea? Why did he choose to lay the Order before Parliament on 11th August to be effective from 1st October when none of us had the opportunity to challenge it?
§ Mr. MorganThe hon. Gentleman will not be unduly surprised to find that I do not agree with him. The Isle of Wight as a whole does not measure up to the criteria applied in the rest of the country.
§ Mr. WoodnuttOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the very unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise it on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.