Clause 12
Finance (No. 2) Bill
9:15 am
Paul Goodman (Shadow Minister (Childcare), Treasury; Wycombe, Conservative)
The Minister will know that the British Amusement Catering Trade Association welcomed the abolition of amusement machine licence duty on non-gaming amusement machines. However, it said that it was disappointed and concerned at a range of other AMLD increases, particularly in relation to the treatment of B4 machines that will now include 5p and 10p club machines whose duty will increase from £665 to £1,780 and £1,415 to £1,780 respectively. If they look at the clause, members of the Committee will find that I am referring to the bottom entry in the fifth column.
The association said that the change was an enormous hike and that it would cripple community and political clubs. I stress “political” because, who knows, that may include Labour clubs. The association said that such clubs often rely on the revenue from gaming machines for their existence, and it urges the Treasury to reconsider the rates. I look forward to what the Financial Secretary has to say about that.