HC Deb 20 January 1998 vol 304 c507W
Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards Pronto; how this relates to its policy towards gambling on fruit machines; if he will set out the reasons for the differences in policy; and if he will make a statement. [23856]

Mr. George Howarth

I set out the Government's policy towards frequent lottery draws in my reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stretford and Urmston (Ms Hughes) on 13 November 1997,Official Report, columns 639–40.

I subsequently published a draft Bill to restrict their frequency on 7 January, inviting interested parties to comment by 30 January.

Successive large scale on-line lottery draws, running in a rapid series through the day and operating simultaneously in a large number of different outlets, would have many of the characteristics of hard gambling. It is long-standing public policy that the harder forms of gambling should be confined to premises specially licensed and appropriately controlled for that purpose. The Government do not wish to see other types of premises become significant gambling venues.

Gaming machines in pubs are restricted to £10 maximuhi prizes and subject to other strict statutory controls which ensure that they remain an ancillary facility there.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors lay behind his decision to impose restrictions on the new Pronto lottery game; and what representations he has received in respect of his decision to impose these restrictions. [23187]

Mr. George Howarth

I set out the Government's policy towards frequent on-line lottery draws in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Stretford and Urmston (Ms Hughes) on 13 November 1997, Official Report, columns 369–40.

I subsequently published a draft Bill to restrict their frequency on 7 January, inviting interested parties to comment by 30 January.

I will report the outcome of the consultation exercise after the responses have been received and evaluated.