Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Con)

My Lords, first, I confirm that I have not been promoted and nor am I even a Whip who is able to take over in certain circumstances. I am not sure whether a colleague of mine will be here to answer this debate from the opposition point of view. I would just like to say a few words because I know others wish to speak who are far more up to date in many ways than I am. I was the Minister in the Home Office responsible for gambling—or controlling gambling, I should say, perhaps—back in the mid-1990s. I welcome in general anything that improves the services available to those who have addiction or who are likely to be vulnerable to gambling, but I always took the view when I was Minister that we could develop these matters in a simple, one-by-one regulation way rather than in a great way. I was therefore very disappointed when the Labour Government came in in 1997 to see that they took a very strong and comprehensive approach towards gambling, which I never thought was appropriate. I have worried ever since about its effect. I spoke in the House on an Oral Question earlier this week and said how disturbed I was at the level of gambling in front of all of us, particularly young people, today, both in television advertising, which I would not accept was sensible or proper, and, as we all know, in the burgeoning amount of advertising in sport, such as at sports grounds and in sponsorship. There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of gambling in this country, which has been deleterious and unacceptable. Therefore, I welcome anything that is going to help. I want to ask a couple of questions, if I may, on this. First, the use of the levy—directional and focused—seems to be correct, but we need a little more flesh on the bones regarding the delivery of support. We have talked about organisations. A number of organisations, some known to the Government and some in the charity sector and so on, are there to look after people who have fallen for gambling in the wrong way and are looking after their addictions and so on. Will the dispensation of the money raised on this levy be wide enough and comprehensive enough to cover all the areas in which people are vulnerable and suffering? I am not sure that that is the case, so I hope that the Minister will give us some reassurances. I must say that I am not happy with that element. Secondly, is the administering of the levy sufficiently watertight, or are there ways in which it can be avoided? The list of specifics where the levy will be applicable is fairly comprehensive, but I still feel that we need to be clear that this is an obligatory levy that cannot be avoided by various means that might be used. Finally, am I wrong to assume that the Government will not be doing much else about gambling advertising? I would like to know because, as I have pointed out and as other people have raised with me on many occasions, this level of advertising is unacceptable, but we never seem to deal with it—indeed, it burgeons even more.