HC Deb 24 February 1956 vol 549 cc76-7W
Mr. Lewis

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the differences in the conditions of betting on horse racing and dog racing which led him to institute a 10 per cent. totalisator Pool Betting Duty in 1947 on the latter type of sport, whilst at the same time exempting the former.

Mr. H. Macmillan

This duty was instituted in 1947. I would refer him to the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the day on 12th November. 1947.

Mr. Lewis

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the total he received in 1954 from the 10 per cent. tax on totalisators at greyhound race tracks; and what the total revenue would be if this tax was reduced to 6 per cent, and applied to the totalisator turnover for both horse racing and greyhound racing;

(2) if he will estimate the revenue which the Treasury would receive if a 7½per cent. tax were introduced on totalisators at greyhound- and horse-racing tracks, using as the basis the totalisator turnover for 1954 for both horse racing and greyhound racing; and how this figure compares with the revenue received in 1954 from the 10 per cent. tax on greyhound totalisators.

Mr. H. Macmillan

Receipts from the 10 per cent. duty on greyhound totalisator bets amounted to £5,793,535 in 1954. For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member on 14th February, it is not possible to say what the revenue might be if the rate of duty were reduced and applied to totalisator bets on both greyhound and horse-racing. On the hypothetical basis suggested by the hon. Member, that is ignoring any consequential changes in turnover and all other things being equal, a duty of 7½per cent. on totalisator bets on both greyhound and horse-racing would theoretically have yielded £6½.2 million in 1954.

Mr. Lewis

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the revenue from the 10 per cent. Pool Betting Duty on totalisators at greyhound race tracks has fallen from £9,473,182 in 1948 to £5,793,535 in 1954, whilst the turnover on totalisators at horse-racing tracks has remained almost static during the same period.

Mr. H. Macmillan

It is not possible to assess the various factors affecting totalisator turnover, and therefore also the yield of the 10 per cent. Pool Betting Duty, at greyhound race tracks in recent years.