HC Deb 11 November 1988 vol 140 cc334-5W
Mrs. Golding

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has heard from the Horserace Betting Levy Board of the failure of the talks between it and the Bookmakers Committee to reach agreement on the terms of the 28 levy scheme; when he intends to make an adjudication; what principles he will follow in arriving at that adjudication; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Sayeed

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reach a decision on the terms of the 28 levy scheme, in the light of the failure of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Bookmakers Committee to reach an agreement; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the share of betting turnover which bookmakers should contribute to horse racing in order to foster the industry.

Mr. John Patten

The chairman of the Horse race Betting Levy Board informed my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in a letter of 1 November that the board and the bookmakers' committee had failed to agree the terms on the 28th levy scheme. Under section 1 of the Horserace Betting Levy Act 1969, it therefore falls to my right hon. Friend to determine a new scheme for 1989–90 or to direct that the current scheme shall continue to have effect for that period also, subject to such modifications (if any) as he may specify. Total levy liability is customarily expressed as a proportion of betting turnover. In deciding what that proportion should be in the forthcoming scheme, my right hon. Friend will have regard both to the needs of horseracing and the ability of the bookmakers to pay, a principle which has guided all such previous decisions.

Mr. Sayeed

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the major horse racing countries the proportion of betting turnover that is levied in order to support the horseracing industry.

Mr. John Patten

I understand from the Horserace Betting Levy Board that under the horserace betting levy scheme levy receipts amount to some 0.88 per cent. of bookmakers' leviable turnover. We are establishing whether there is available directly comparable information about the arrangements in other countries. I shall write to the hon. Member.