To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department’s working group on regulation and administration of on-course betting has identified those administrative functions of the National Joint Pitch Council which are not provided for in regulations under the Gambling Act 2005; and if he will make a statement. (152332)

The Working Group on the Regulation and Administration of On Course Bookmaking is independent of my Department. It was set up following an approach from the Bookmakers’ Committee, includes representatives of the betting and racing industries and is chaired by the chief executive of the National Joint Pitch Council. Its terms of reference include a requirement to

“Agree a comprehensive list of the current administrative functions of the NJPC that are not preserved in regulations under the Gambling Act 2005”.

I understand that its members are in the process of completing this task and will publish their findings for public consultation soon. I am further aware that the Group decided of its own volition to exclude any consideration of pitch tenure issues.