HC Deb 20 April 1998 vol 310 cc518-9W
Mr. Berry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Gaming Act 1968 in controlling the gaming industry, with regard to the use of technology introduced since 1993; [38784]

(2) if he will order a review of the gaming and lottery industry; [38785]

(3) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 in achieving its purpose of keeping lotteries crime free. [38782]

Mr. George Howarth

The present controls meet their primary purpose of keeping gaming crime-free, though the Government are aware of calls to modernise them. We have not ruled that out, but would need to consider the timing, scope and resource implications of such an exercise.

We have no plans to order a review of the gaming and lottery industry as a separate exercise.