Clause 17 - Amusement machine licence duty: rates
Finance Bill
3:50 pm
Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk, Conservative)
Even the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers recognises that the provision is simply an increase to take account of inflation. Although it would welcome no change, it acknowledges that the impact of the duty change will be slight.The main issue for the industry is the rationale for the licensing system as a whole. Indeed, the Government say in the Red Book that they will defer reform of amusement machine licence duty, and major reform of the taxation of gambling, to align with the forthcoming gambling Bill.
There is no doubt that pub gaming machines, in particular, are being hard hit by the proliferation of fixed-odds betting machines in high street outlets. The ALMR reports that its members have seen takings from pub machines go down by 6 per cent. on average, and in some cases by as much as 18 to 20 per cent. In small outlets and rural areas especially, that level of loss threatens the profitability and even the viability of some small businesses.
I have two questions for the Minister. First, could he confirm that the position remains as outlined at the Budget and that no further change will take place until there is a chance to consider it in the context of the gambling Bill? Secondly, can he outline the extent to which Treasury thinking on the more general reform of gambling has moved on?