§ 2.50 p.m.
§ Lord AYLESTONEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the lotteries organised by local authorities in the United Kingdom are promoted on their behalf by firms of turf accountants or similar bodies.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)My Lords, I understand that the Gaming Board for Great Britain are aware of 15 local lotteries being managed by a firm which also engages in bookmaking, and of a further 61 being managed by firms which also engage in running football pools.
§ Lord AYLESTONEMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his reply, and accepting that the bookmakers may do an excellent job in running these lotteries, may I ask whether he can say what percentage of the total ticket revenue is paid to the bookmaker promoters? For example, what amount is paid to the lucky lottery investors?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, perhaps I may deal with the two points which my noble friend has raised. On his first point, I am aware that in the recent past some anxiety has been expressed about the use of agents. The Act is silent on this point. It is difficult to give a very clear answer to my noble friend's second question. So far as the cost of running a lottery is concerned, the expense is controlled by the Statute. As a result, it is impossible to give a precise answer to the question which my noble friend has raised.