Greyhound Racing (Taxation) (Hansard, 25 July 1988)

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby)

I beg to present a petition from Mr. Robert Anthony Fisher of 32 Colne avenue, Watford, in the county of Hertford. It states that various dog tracks have imposed a levy on all winning bets and that bookmakers have imposed an additional levy on top of the off-course betting duty, both without 229 Parliament's consent. Mr. Fisher is petitioning Parliament to stop that illegal taxation. I shall ask the Clerk to read the petition.

The Clerk at the Tableread the petition, which was as Follows: To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland assembled in Parliament. The Humble Petition of Robert Anthony Fisher: Sheweth That, whereas by authority of Parliament held in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of Edward the Third, King of England, it was declared and enacted that thenceforth by the good laws and statutes of this Realm your petitioner has inherited the freedom that he should not be compelled to contribute to any tax or other like charge not set by common consent in Parliament and later called the 'Petition of Right' and Whereas of late divers persons have, contrary to this freedom, usurped the authority of Parliament and notwithstanding the protests of your humble petitioner, imposed upon him and many others of Her Majesty's subjects, Taxes, which have not been approved by Parliament and in the manners following. Notwithstanding that by the gracious consent of Parliament in 1987 on course Betting Duty, for the benefit of the public purse was abolished absolutely, the proprietors of a number of greyhound stadia, having the power to admit bookmakers at their discretion, have persuaded the latter to levy a tax upon all winning bets placed by members of the public and to deliver the proceeds to the said proprietors for their use or benefit. Your humble petitioner has thus been unlawfully taxed at Wembley, Wimbledon and Wathamstow and Whereas it has been enacted by Parliament that off-course Betting Duty be set at 8% divers persons and companies, namely Ladbrokes, William Hill, Mecca, Corals, Ansell & Sons and many others have imposed rates of tax in excess of 8% upon your humble petitioner and other good and loyal subjects and have converted the surplus to their own devices and benefit.

And all these taxes are taken contrary to protest, without the consent of those who are required to pay and without consideration and contrary to the laws, freedoms and customs of this Realm and Reckless of the authority of the honourable Commons in Parliament assembled. Wherefore your petitioner prays your honourable House do put down those pernicious practices and do confirm and strengthen the laws of this Realm and the Authority of Parliament so that it be a punishable offence for any person to demand or receive any tax or like charge

(i) levied upon the public or any part thereof, for which no consideration is given or consent obtained, save as may be lawfully sanctioned by Parliament
(ii) as aforesaid in respect of any amount or rate of tax in excess of that laid down and approved by Parliament

And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.…