§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he has reached a decision on an inquiry into racing finances; how the review of betting shop hours of opening, announced by the Department of Trade and Industry on 21 December 1989, fits into the general inquiry; and what is the likely timetable of this review;
(2) whether he is still considering the Lloyds bank report on the privatisation of the horserace totalisator board; and when he proposes to start an inquiry into opening hours of betting shops; and whether he will mount a wide-ranging inquiry into every aspect of racing finances.
§ Mr. Peter LloydAs to an inquiry into the financing of horse racing and greyhound racing, and the deregulation review of the opening hours of licensed betting offices, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 17 January to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Holt). Advice from Lloyds merchant bank on the feasibility of privatising the horserace totalisator board remains under consideration.