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Finance Bill

We are pleased with the debate. The hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) is a champion for the sector and I am delighted that he brought his experience to the debate. The hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) focused on the VAT case and explained his party's anger at the Government's attitude towards it. The hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Browne) spoke to his amendment 9, but I am delighted that he could bring his party to support my amendment 14 as well. The hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mr. Timpson) described the current position as untenable and unfair, and described the 20,000 members of his local bingo club, which is almost a third of the entire population of the town of Crewe. That is quite phenomenal. He called on the Government to wait for legal certainty. The hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) focused on the social benefits. The hon. Member for Luton, North (Kelvin Hopkins) spoke about the health benefits of socialising and also said that the clause had the hallmark of the Treasury officials all over it. I shall not comment. Perhaps he knows these things better than I do. The Minister began by describing this as a boutique debate. The reality is rather less elegant than that sounds, but it was still a good debate. She then spoiled the mood by trying to justify the Government's position, which is still 22 per cent. against 15 per cent. Members in every party, and every speaker apart from the Minister, want to see the unfairness removed from bingo. It is simple. The tax on online bingo is 15 per cent., on online poker and casino 15 per cent., on sports betting in a betting shop 15 per cent., on betting exchanges 15 per cent. and on football pools 15 per cent. The Government want good licensed bingo clubs to pay tax at 22 per cent. I think 15 per cent. will do, and I ask the Committee to support the amendment. Question put, That the amendment be made. The Committee divided: Ayes 77, Noes 278.