§ Mr. Alan Herbertasked the Home Secretary for how long and in which years the Racecourse Betting Control Board accepted cash bets by post from persons off the course for totalisators controlled or authorised by them; and whether, in view of the great increase in unregulated pool betting, due in some part to the lack of facilities for cash betting, he will consult with the Racecourse Betting Control Board with a view to their resuming this practice?
§ Sir S. HoareI am informed that postal bets addressed to racecourse totalisators by persons off the course were accepted for inclusion in the totalisator pools during a short period from the 4th to the 933W 20th October, 1930, and that the board decided to discontinue this practice because they felt objection might be taken on the ground that Parliament had not contemplated this procedure when authorising the use of totalisators by the Racecourse Betting Act, 1928. For the same reason I should not be prepared to ask the board to reconsider that decision.
§ Mr. Alan Herbertasked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that certain bookmakers having offices both in England and Scotland are, by advertisement in English newspapers, inviting persons in England to send ready money bets by post to Scotland; that a large business is done in this way with persons believing that it is lawful to place ready money bets by post in Scotland but not in England; in which Act of Parliament is this distinction contained; and will His Majesty's Government consider legislation for the extension of the same facilities to England?
In ordinary Local Prisons. Name and Situation of Prison. Sentenced to Imprisonment. Sentenced to Penal Servitude. Males. Females. Males. Females. Bedford 103 — 2 — Birmingham (Winson Green, Birmingham) 318 50 13 — Bristol (Horfield, Bristol) 157 — 7 — Cardiff 106 14 — 1 Dorchester 65 — 3 — Durham 346 27 5 — Exeter 171 17 2 1 Gloucester 82 — 6 — Hull 142 — 5 — Leeds (Armley, Leeds) 431 — 9 — Leicester 124 — 3 — Lewes 249 — 2 — Lincoln 152 — 1 — Liverpool (Walton, Liverpool) 550 — 21 — Manchester (Strangeways, Manchester) 427 119 12 — Norwich 84 — 3 — Oxford 92 — 2 — Shrewsbury 54 — — — Swansea 60 — — — Winchester 226 — 3 — Totals 3,939 227 99 2 Each of the above prisons receives both unconvicted prisoners, i.e. prisoners committed on remand or to await trial, or for failure to pay moneys, etc., and convicted prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for varying periods from five days up to two years, and persons sentenced to not more than three years penal servitude.
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§ Sir S. HoareI have been asked to reply. I am advised that under the existing law it is an offence in Scotland, as in England, to keep premises for the purpose of receiving cash bets; and bookmakers are convicted from time to time of offences against the Betting Acts by reason of their having accepted cash bets sent through the post to offices in Scotland. Any advertisements which invited persons in England to place cash bets at offices in Scotland would contravene the law.