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Finance Bill

We did have a meeting with the Prime Minister, but at the same time we had a meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and with the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. We also met with the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe), because of his departmental involvement in the matter. Therefore, it is not fair to criticise the Government on the grounds that there was no Treasury involvement; there were detailed meetings with Treasury Ministers at the time of that delegation. However, the hon. Gentleman is right that the Prime Minister agreed to that meeting. As I mentioned, this matter goes back to the Finance Bill 2003, when the Bingo Association tried to reduce the double taxation burden on the bingo industry. A combination of factors led to further problems perhaps two years ago, as we pointed out last year: the ban on smoking, the downturn in the leisure economy and people drinking at home. Beer prices, alcohol duties and supermarkets all played a part in the argument. A combination of factors led to problems experienced by bingo clubs. The largest number of closures occurred in Scotland, which suffered the greatest loss of bingo clubs as a consequence of the policy of double taxation. I mentioned that there was a closure in my constituency last year. I recall a few years ago opening a refurbished Gala bingo club in my constituency. I was invited there. It had been redecorated; the clubs are very good in that regard. They provide a welcoming environment. They are brightly lit; they are not dingy places. They are welcoming. They provide food and entertainment. When I opened that refurbished club, I was astounded to be told that the club had 26,000 members in Barnsley—an incredible number. It is well worth the Government thinking how many people are affected throughout the country by closures of bingo clubs. Many people use those clubs. Many people like to take part in a soft form of gambling. Many of the people who use bingo clubs are women; they are often younger women who want to go into a safe place where they can gamble a bit and have a drink in a protected environment. Not that many men frequent bingo clubs; it is mainly a female entertainment. It is sad that we seem to be putting pressure on that type of club, yet we allow other harder forms of gambling a free rein.