§ Mrs. DeanTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what estimate she has made of the impact on the number of public houses if the number of gaming machines is restricted as recommended by the Budd report; [34742]
(2) what estimate has been made of the impact on employment in the gaming machine industry if the recommendations of the Budd report are agreed. [34741]
§ Mr. CabornWe have made no estimates. The Government published the report of the independent Gambling Review Body, chaired by Sir Alan Budd, in July last year and have been considering all the comments on it received since then. These include representations which argue that there would be adverse consequences for the gaming machines industry and the licensed trade if the Government were fully to implement the report's recommendations about gaming machines in pubs.
I expect that we will be in a position to announce our conclusions within the next two months.