§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes the Government are considering to the policy of prohibiting the importation, promotion and sale of foreign lottery tickets, in connection with the introduction of the single market.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWe have no plans at present to amend the policy or the law in relation to the importation, promotion and sale of foreign lottery material.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to prevent the illegal importation of foreign lottery tickets into Britain.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWhere appropriate, with the Gaming Board for Great Britain, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, a number of measures are taken to prevent or curtail the promotion of foreign lotteries in the United Kingdom.
Representations are, if necessary, made to the authorities in the country concerned. Of European Community countries, such representations have been made to the Federal Republic of Germany. Representations have also been made to the authorities in Austria and Vanuatu, as a result of which those countries' national lotteries have undertaken to cease their promotional activities in this country, and to the authorities in British Columbia, Canada and New South Wales, Australia.
If advertisements for foreign lotteries appear in magazines published here, the provisions of our law are drawn to the attention of the publishers who have previously undertaken not to publish such advertisements again. In addition, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has seized substantial quantities of promotional letters intended to be posted individually here but imported in bulk.