Lord Actonasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they intend to publish the fifth report on the impact of the National Lottery on the horserace betting levy. [HL3687]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonAn update on the impact of the National Lottery on the horserace betting levy has been published today. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.
The paper, which has been prepared by the Home Office's Economic & Resource Analysis Unit, examines continuing trends in off-course betting expenditure and their relationship to the horserace betting levy.
The analysis indicates that in 1999 off-course betting expenditure was about 14.7 per cent below the level it would have reached in the absence of the National Lottery and that, by implication, the horserace betting levy raised £9–10 million less than it might otherwise have done.
This is broadly consistent with the findings of the first four reports.
As the Government have already announced their intention to abolish the horserace betting levy system, it is not our intention to commission any future reports in this series.