HC Deb 22 March 1993 vol 221 c592
2. Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent representations he has received about the site for the headquarters of the national lottery.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for National Heritage (Mr. Robert Key)

My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations about the siting of the headquarters for the proposed national lottery. Recent representations have been received on behalf of Penwith district council, Liverpool city council, Princess Dock Development Co. Ltd., Craven council, Clacton-on-Sea, Devizes and East Cheam.

Mr. Amess

If my hon. Friend shares my desire for our national lottery to be the biggest, best and most exciting in the world, will he take my advice and have a word with the people responsible for the siting of its headquarters to encourage them to place it in Basildon—a town for a gamble and a town for winners?

Mr. Key

My hon. Friend is absolutely right and he is, of course, such a winner. We shall see where the headquarters go. It will not be for Ministers to decide their location, although companies may wish to consider favourable schemes which may be on offer under the Government's assisted areas programme.