§ Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the potential impact on general betting duty receipts of the introduction of Sunday racing;
(2) what assessment he has made of the impact on general betting duty receipts of the deregulation of licensed betting offices up to and including those measures announced by the Home Secretary in July 1994;
(3) what assessment he has made of the potential impact on general betting duty receipts of the removal of restrictions on advertising of licensed betting offices.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryNo such assessment has been made.
§ Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the rate of general betting duty receipts and the total revenue from that tax in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe rate of general betting duty and the total revenue received in the last five years are as follows:
Rate of duty—
On-course—no liability to general betting duty from 29 March 1987
Off-course—12 July 1981 to 1 April 1992—8 per cent. 1 April 1992 to present—7.75 per cent.
Receipts £ million 1989–90 458.7 1990–91 479.1 1991–92 482.1 1992–93 473.7 1993–94 494.9
§ Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on general betting duty receipts of the introduction of evening opening of licenced betting offices.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryGeneral betting duty receipts for the months April to August, using 1992 as a baseline, increased by 11.7 per cent. in 1993 and 16.1 per cent. in 1994. General betting duty receipts for the fiscal year 1993–94 were 4.5 per cent. up on 1992–93 and those for 1994–95 will be approximately 6 per cent. up.