Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will introduce for the rest of the UK equivalent powers as those proposed in the Scotland Bill on fixed odds betting terminals.

Tracey Crouch

The Scotland Bill would give the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Ministers the power to vary the number of sub-category B2 gaming machines (FOBTs) permitted by new betting premises licences. The UK Government would retain the equivalent powers on FOBTs for the rest of the UK, except for Northern Ireland where gambling is a devolved matter.

In line with our commitment in the St David’s Day Agreement, the UK Government is giving careful consideration to whethernon-fiscal recommendations from Lord Smith’s commission on devolving powers should be implemented for Wales.