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Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) Thursday Volume 540 9 February 2012 No. 264 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 9 February 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 451 9 FEBRUARY 2012 452 House of Commons Gaming Machines 2. Mr Don Foster (Bath) (LD): What estimate he has Thursday 9 February 2012 made of the number of category B2 gaming machines in operation in the UK. [94331] The House met at half-past Ten o’clock The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (John Penrose): The latest version of the Gambling Commission’s six-monthly PRAYERS industry statistics was published in December 2011. It showed that the number of category B2 gaming [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] machines—fixed odds betting terminals, or FOBTs, as they are sometimes known—in operation in Great Britain as at 31 March 2011 was 32,007. Oral Answers to Questions Mr Foster: I am most grateful to the Minister for that answer. The FOBTs he refers to, through which punters can lose £100 a spin or £18,000 a year, have been described as the crack cocaine of gambling. As he said, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT numbers are exploding: some 32,000 such machines are in easily accessed high street betting shops, yet the The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media evidence shows that they are causing real damage to and Sport was asked— individuals and families, including some of the poorest people in our communities. Does the Minister therefore Local Radio Franchises not agree that a responsible Government should be taking urgent action to address this problem, including 1. John Pugh (Southport) (LD): What assessment he looking at the recommendations in early-day motion has made of the potential for local radio franchises and 2634, such as cutting the stakes and prize levels of these licensing; and if he will make a statement. [94329] machines so that they are more akin to those in other adult centres? The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (Mr Edward Vaizey): We John Penrose: I completely share my right hon. Friend’s have made no assessment of the potential for radio concern about gambling addiction. Although it affects franchises because radio licensing is a matter for Ofcom, only a small number of people, it can ruin lives and is a which awards licences via a “beauty parade” mechanism, very serious issue. Many colleagues on both sides of the assessing individual applicants’ ability to deliver services House have raised it, as did Mary Portas in her recent for the local area. review of the health of high streets throughout the country. However, my right hon. Friend will agree that John Pugh: I thank the Minister for that reply. News we have to ensure that any policy or regulatory changes content aside—[Interruption]—should there not be more that might be considered are based not just on concern flexibility in licences and franchises to allow commercial and anecdote, but on firm evidence and factual foundation. radio to respond to market conditions? Therefore, my invitation to him and any other colleagues concerned about this issue—on either side of the House—is Mr Vaizey: I found it slightly difficult to hear the that if they can bring me hard evidence and facts, I will question, but I think my hon. Friend was asking about of course consider them extremely carefully. flexibility in content regulation. That will be an important Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): Despite what the right matter for the Green Paper as we look at communications hon. Member for Bath (Mr Foster) says, does my hon. regulation in the round. Friend the Minister not accept that the percentage of problem gamblers using FOBTs declined from 11.2% in Mr Speaker: The difficulty in hearing was not attributable 2007 to 8.8% last year, and that the availability of to the questioner but to ministerial nose-blowing, which gambling on the internet drives a coach and horses is entirely understood. through the ridiculous limits we now have on the use of betting shop terminals? Given that people can use only Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): Follow that, one at a time—or perhaps two at best if they are Mr Speaker! particularly proficient—whether there are four, six or BBC Radio Merseyside is the most popular radio eight in a betting shop makes absolutely no difference at station on Merseyside and is a lifeline for many elderly all to an individual’s problem gambling. and disabled people. Rather than setting up local radio franchises, would the Government not do better to John Penrose: I accept that the causal link between support much-loved existing local BBC radio such as FOBTs and problem gambling is poorly understood, Radio Merseyside? which is why I asked for better evidence and facts to back up any suggested changes in regulation. I also Mr Vaizey: I heard the hon. Gentleman loud and agree with my hon. Friend that remote gambling is clear, and I am delighted that the chairman of the BBC changing how people gamble. We need to make sure Trust has made it clear that the BBC will review its that such gambling is properly controlled and regulated, original plans for BBC local radio, which is very good which is why we propose to introduce new regulations news. on it in due course. 453 Oral Answers9 FEBRUARY 2012 Oral Answers 454 Broadband Mr Hunt: My hon. Friend makes an important point. In the Thames Valley local enterprise partnership, which covers his constituency, the broadband plans are still at 3. Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South amber, rather than green, and I would be most grateful Pembrokeshire) (Con): What recent progress he has for his help in getting the three unitary authorities to made on the roll-out of superfast broadband to rural work together to get those plans into a state where they communities. [94332] can be approved. He rightly says that we need to be technology-neutral about this; fixed-line fibre will go 5. Adam Afriyie (Windsor) (Con): What recent into the ground in some areas, but for the more remote progress his Department has made on the roll-out of areas we will definitely need wireless solutions, be they superfast broadband; and if he will make a statement. mobile, wi-fi or satellite, and we will keep all options [94334] open. 6. Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con): Andrew Selous: Residents of villages such as Hockliffe, What steps he is taking to extend broadband coverage. Stanbridge, Tilsworth and Eggington often have to [94335] make do with broadband speeds of only 1.5 megabits per second, which is very restrictive for local people and The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media severely limits the ability of local businesses to grow. So and Sport (Mr Jeremy Hunt): Our plans for the roll-out when can residents in these villages expect things to get of superfast broadband mean that— better for them? Mr Speaker: Order. I am very interested to hear Mr Hunt: Again, I ask for my hon. Friend’s help, about the plans for the roll-out of superfast broadband, because the plans for Bedfordshire are also amber-rated, but I believe I am right in saying that the Secretary of rather than green-rated. We have said that we want all State wants to group this question with two others. local authorities not only to start procurement for their broadband plans, but to complete procurement by this Mr Hunt: With your humble permission, Mr Speaker, Christmas, otherwise we will consider taking back the I would like to take this Question with Questions 5 funds that we have allocated and putting them in a and 6. national contract. We are very keen to ensure that roads I wanted to say that our plans for the roll-out of start to be dug up and solutions actually happen by the superfast broadband will mean that conditions such as start of next year. the common cold, even when held by Ministers, will be able to be diagnosed online. The roll-out continues Ian Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab): What assessment has apace, and broadband plans have now been approved the Secretary of State made of the impact of YouView for a third of local authorities. on the demand for broadband services? Simon Hart: The progress on this subject is particularly Mr Hunt: The hon. Gentleman makes an important welcome in rural areas, but inevitably 2%, 3% or 4% of point. I think that the impact will be huge. The iPlayer people will fall outside the proposals. What are the is already a very big source of demand for broadband, Government going to do for them? and as YouView arrives many more people will use the iPlayer and other such services. I am pleased to say that Mr Hunt: I am going to Pembrokeshire next week on Wales is making excellent progress. Its broadband plans holiday, when I will personally be inspecting the rural have been given the green light and we have had a good broadband facilities and mobile coverage in my hon. partnership with the Welsh Government. I hope that his Friend’s constituency, although I cannot promise to do constituents will benefit from that.
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