§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will make a statement about proposals by the Gaming Board to remove jackpot machines from members' social clubs; [7147]
(2) what assessment she has made of the consequences for social clubs of proposed regulations to remove jackpot gaming machines. [7145]
§ Mr. CabornThe independent Gambling Review Body, whose report we published on 17 July, recommended that gaming machines in private clubs which were not casinos or bingo clubs should have a maximum prize of £25 instead of £250 as at present. All the Review Body's recommendations are now subject to public consultation, which will run until 31 October. Until the consultation process has been completed we are not in a position to make an informed assessment of the financial and other consequences for clubs; and we do not propose to take decisions on the report before then.