§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those measures introduced by his Department within the past year and intended to be of benefit to small businesses.
§ Mr. HurdThe following measures, referred to in the White Paper, "Building Businesses …Not Barriers" (Cmnd. 9794), have been introduced within the past year:
- —betting shops allowed to provide TV coverage of sporting events and light refreshments;
- —bingo clubs allowed to provide a national bingo game with prizes of up to £50,000 (measure introduced by a private Member and supported by the Government);
- —pest control companies exempted from requirement to hold a Home Office authorisation where the company has a licence from the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;
- —casinos permitted to redeem customer's cheques (measure introduced by a private Member and supported by the Government).
These measures are not aimed solely at small businesses, but small enterprises as well as large will benefit from them.