HC Deb 08 May 1990 vol 172 cc29-30W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions he has raised with the West German authorities the practice of sending lottery tickets from Germany to the United Kingdom in breach of the Lotteries and Amusements Act; what assurances he has had on each occasion; and what action he now proposes in light of the continued posting of such tickets to United Kingdom citizens from West German state and institutional lottery groups.

Mr. John Patten

At our request, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office last year initiated exchanges with authorities in the Federal Republic of West Germany about the postal promotion here of two lotteries based in West Germany, contrary to the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, and these exchanges are continuing. Most recently, the director of each lottery has undertaken to draw to the notice of its agents that the mass promotion of the lottery in another country where that is unlawful is contrary to the rules under which the agents operate.

Together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we will consider what other effective action may be taken if the mass postal promotion of these lotteries continues. The promotion here of these and other foreign lotteries is already inhibited by steps which have been taken domestically. Among these is that HM Customs and Excise have impounded, for subsequent destruction, very substantial quantities of promotional material for them.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement providing guidance to United Kingdom citizens about the appropriate action to take with lottery tickets sent to them by West German state and institutional lotteries and about the legal position over the sale of such tickets in the United Kingdom.

Mr. John Patten

The promotion or conduct of public foreign lotteries in Great Britain is unlawful under the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976. It is not an offence under the Act to purchase tickets in such lotteries. But the Act defines a range of activities connected with unlawful lotteries which are themselves unlawful. These activities include the bringing into Great Britain of foreign lottery material; its sale, distribution or advertisement in this country; and the sending or attempted sending out of money or other valuables received in connection with such a lottery. Together, where appropriate, with the Gaming Board for Great Britain, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we take action to prevent or curtail the promotion of foreign lotteries contrary to the Act.

We already explain this in reply to correspondence from Members of Parliament and of the public who write to us about the unlawful promotion here, by post, of foreign lotteries, including some based in West Germany.