§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to investigate current Horserace Betting Levy Board practices in relation to generation of moneys by bookmakers' tax impositions; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will undertake an investigation into the means by which the Horserace Betting Levy Board provides finances for the benefit of racing; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Peter LloydMy right hon. and learned Friend is considering whether to establish an inquiry into the financing of racing. We are not considering any other investigation into the operation of the horserace betting levy system, a statutory purpose of which is the improvement of horse racing and under which bookmakers, not the levy board, customarily provide the horserace betting levy on off-course bets on horseraces by a "tax" on such bets, or by a deduction from winnings from them.
§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to investigate the issue of interest-free loans made by the Horserace Betting Levy Board to racecourses; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what information he has with regard to moves by the Horserace Betting Levy Board to recover £2 million of moneys made in interest-free loans to Goodwood racecourse; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 19 December 1989]: We have no plan to investigate the long-established practice of the levy board of making interest-free loans to racecourses, in pursuance of its statutory duty to apply its moneys for purposes conducive to the improvement of horse racing. We understand from the board that loans to Goodwood racecourse are being repaid on terms agreed either when the loans were made or as a result of subsequent re-negotiation.
§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to investigate the omission to disclose the £3.8 million bookmakers' surplus during his Department's inquiry in 1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydIn 1988 my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) invited the bookmakers' committee and the Horserace Betting Levy Board to make submissions to him about the possible terms of the 28 horserace betting levy scheme, which he determined this March. Information about the levy board's financial reserves was provided in these submissions, and we are not aware that any material information about bookmaking was omitted from them.