To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of whether there was a variance between the Casino Advisory Panel’s definition of social impact and the Gambling Act’s objective of reducing problem gambling, as referred to in the conclusions of the 13^th Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Merits of Statutory Instruments, Drawing special attention to the Draft Gambling (Geographical Distribution of Casino Premises Licences) Order 2007. (129988)

[holding answer 26 March 2007]: I wrote to the Lord Filkin, Chairman of the Merits Committee, on 21 March to clarify, among other matters, the remit of the Casino Advisory Panel with regard to social impact. In my letter I said:

“One of the most fundamental arguments made by the Committee, and one which runs throughout the report, is that the Casino Advisory Panel should have placed greater emphasis on the minimisation of harm from gambling. I should explain that this was not the primary consideration we set for the Panel.

The criteria against which the Panel would assess submissions were set out in the Government’s national policy statement on casinos, published on 16 December 2004, which makes reference to the protection of children and vulnerable people. In paragraph 10 of its report, the Panel noted that the Department had asked it to have due regard to the national policy statement.

The Panel’s primary consideration was to ensure that the locations provide the best possible test of social impact. Subject to this, the criteria were also:

to include areas in need of regeneration (as measured by employment and other social deprivation data)

to ensure that those areas selected are willing to licence a new casino.

I did not ask the Panel to make final recommendations based exclusively on the minimisation of harm from gambling. This is because it is the role of the Gambling Commission to monitor and minimise any harm that might arise from new casino gambling. It was the job of the Casino Advisory Panel to select locations that are best able to be monitored rigorously. I am satisfied that is exactly what they have done.”

A copy of my letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on the level of Exchequer funding spent on tackling problem gambling; and if she will make a statement. (130032)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State regularly discusses a wide range of gambling subjects with Treasury Ministers.

The NHS funds via Exchequer funding a number of addiction services many of which will treat problem gamblers.

The gambling industry also provides funding to tackle problem gambling via payments to the Responsibility in Gambling Trust. The trust has recently announced that the gambling industry has committed to meeting the 3m funding target for 2006.