HC Deb 17 March 1988 vol 129 cc652-3W
15. Dr. Reid

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received any representations regarding the current review on the abuse of gambling machines.

Mr. John Patten

Yes. In the course of our review of the law on amusement arcades, we have received representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals.

43. Mr. Dunnachie

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the representations made to him regarding his review on the abuse of gambling machines.

Mr. John Patten

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 4 March to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) at column722, and to replies I gave today to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Hargreaves) and the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid).

52. Mr. Andrew Hargreaves

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the positioning of fruit or other gambling machines in fast food outlets where children and young teenagers congregate; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

In the course of our review of the law on amusement arcades we have received representations that additional restrictions are required on amusement-with-prizes machines wherever they are provided. The suggestion most frequently made in these representations is that access to places providing the machines or use of the machines themselves should be restricted to people aged over 16 or 18 years. It has also been represented to us that the current law is adequate. Under that law, local authorities already have power to ban the machines from premises other than amusement arcades and may pass a resolution limiting the machines to a particular class of premises or limiting the number of machines on any premises.

We hope to be able to reach conclusions on our review in due course.