My Hon friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Sport, Tourism and Equalities (Helen Grant) made the following statement on Thursday 1 May:

I am pleased to announce today that Government will immediately be transferring the full outstanding balance of horseracing’s 50% share (£49,895,524) of the net proceeds from the...

My Hon friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Sport, Tourism and Equalities (Helen Grant) made the following statement on Thursday 1 May:

I am pleased to announce today that Government will immediately be transferring the full outstanding balance of horseracing’s 50% share (£49,895,524) of the net proceeds from the...

I am pleased to announce today that Government will immediately be transferring the full outstanding balance of horseracing’s 50% share (£49,895,524) of the net proceeds from the sale of the Horserace Totalisator Board (the Tote) to the Racing Foundation.

An additional £1,785,268.00 will be transferred during 2014-15 to the British Horseracing...

I am pleased to announce today that Government will immediately be transferring the full outstanding balance of horseracing’s 50% share (£49,895,524) of the net proceeds from the sale of the Horserace Totalisator Board (the Tote) to the Racing Foundation.

An additional £1,785,268.00 will be transferred during 2014-15 to the British Horseracing...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the “racing right” canvassed in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget speech is expected to apply to greyhound racing and harness racing.[HL6277]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the “racing right” canvassed in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget speech is expected to apply to greyhound racing and harness racing.[HL6277]

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 1.

The Lords amendment gives the Secretary of State reserve powers to extend the horserace betting levy to all bookmakers holding a remote operating licence from the Gambling Commission after the remote gambling Bill has been enacted. The amendment is...

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 1.

The Lords amendment gives the Secretary of State reserve powers to extend the horserace betting levy to all bookmakers holding a remote operating licence from the Gambling Commission after the remote gambling Bill has been enacted. The amendment is...

Does my hon. Friend agree that this announcement and today’s developments are very good news for racing, which provides tremendous support for jobs and local tourism, and that it is good that the Government are now beginning to work properly with British racing?

Does my hon. Friend agree that this announcement and today’s developments are very good news for racing, which provides tremendous support for jobs and local tourism, and that it is good that the Government are now beginning to work properly with British racing?

I know that my hon. Friend, as a former jockey, has a deep and intimate knowledge of the industry. He makes an excellent point and that is precisely why we are making these reforms.

I know that my hon. Friend, as a former jockey, has a deep and intimate knowledge of the industry. He makes an excellent point and that is precisely why we are making these reforms.

Following on from the intervention of the hon. Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman), is the Minister aware of the damage that

has been done to racing by bookmakers moving offshore and not paying the levy, and will she join me and Redcar race course in welcoming the fact that racing...

Following on from the intervention of the hon. Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman), is the Minister aware of the damage that

has been done to racing by bookmakers moving offshore and not paying the levy, and will she join me and Redcar race course in welcoming the fact that racing...

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. We have to look after racing. It is an important industry that provides many jobs. This is a sensible move, making a level playing field for all operators.

At the same time, we will develop wider levy reform options and publish a consultation...

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. We have to look after racing. It is an important industry that provides many jobs. This is a sensible move, making a level playing field for all operators.

At the same time, we will develop wider levy reform options and publish a consultation...

Will the Minister confirm that it would not be possible to extend the levy to offshore bookmakers without the approval of the EU and that we are totally dependent on receiving that approval in order to be able to do it legally?

Will the Minister confirm that it would not be possible to extend the levy to offshore bookmakers without the approval of the EU and that we are totally dependent on receiving that approval in order to be able to do it legally?

My hon. Friend makes a fair point. Certainly, the levy scheme amounts to state aid and, because of the terms, we need to let the EU know if there is any substantial change in state aid and get permission for it.

The amendment is reasonable and I believe it commands widespread...

My hon. Friend makes a fair point. Certainly, the levy scheme amounts to state aid and, because of the terms, we need to let the EU know if there is any substantial change in state aid and get permission for it.

The amendment is reasonable and I believe it commands widespread...

We welcome the Government amendment and their change of heart on the alteration that we proposed both in Committee and on Report.

We pay tribute to the Members of the House of Lords who took up several of the issues that we raised during the Bill’s passage through this House. They...

We welcome the Government amendment and their change of heart on the alteration that we proposed both in Committee and on Report.

We pay tribute to the Members of the House of Lords who took up several of the issues that we raised during the Bill’s passage through this House. They...

I want to raise two matters. Both have been touched on, but I want to expand on them.

First, as the hon. Member for Eltham (Clive Efford) rightly said, a new clause very similar to the Lords amendment was tabled on Report. I, along with other Government Members, voted against it....

I want to raise two matters. Both have been touched on, but I want to expand on them.

First, as the hon. Member for Eltham (Clive Efford) rightly said, a new clause very similar to the Lords amendment was tabled on Report. I, along with other Government Members, voted against it....

May I point out to the hon. Gentleman that the outcome is the same? We will apply the existing levy—assuming we get European Commission approval—to online gamblers, and the Government will consult on a future levy for the longer term. The outcome is the same whether the amendment has been...

May I point out to the hon. Gentleman that the outcome is the same? We will apply the existing levy—assuming we get European Commission approval—to online gamblers, and the Government will consult on a future levy for the longer term. The outcome is the same whether the amendment has been...

I appreciate that the aim might be the same, but as I understand it, the Lords amendment creates a reserved power straight away—

I appreciate that the aim might be the same, but as I understand it, the Lords amendment creates a reserved power straight away—

indicated dissent.

indicated dissent.

I thought it was to do it straight away, which is slightly different.

I thought it was to do it straight away, which is slightly different.

In Committee we tabled two amendments, one of which would have done what the hon. Gentleman has set out. We also offered the Government the opportunity to consider taking the reserved power in the longer term. That was the amendment we brought to the House on Report, and he voted...

In Committee we tabled two amendments, one of which would have done what the hon. Gentleman has set out. We also offered the Government the opportunity to consider taking the reserved power in the longer term. That was the amendment we brought to the House on Report, and he voted...

This is a very time-limited debate and I do not want to spend all my time on a preliminary point. The substantive point is that whether or not the amendment is identical or slightly different to the previous one, this new clause certainly does provide for a reserved power. That...

This is a very time-limited debate and I do not want to spend all my time on a preliminary point. The substantive point is that whether or not the amendment is identical or slightly different to the previous one, this new clause certainly does provide for a reserved power. That...

I want to make a few quick comments on holding a remote operating licence from the Gambling Commission. I will also comment on those based overseas who will be required to obtain a remote operating licence from the commission as a result of measures in the Bill.

I bring that to...

I want to make a few quick comments on holding a remote operating licence from the Gambling Commission. I will also comment on those based overseas who will be required to obtain a remote operating licence from the commission as a result of measures in the Bill.

I bring that to...

I started out aged 14 as an apprentice stable lad. I worked my way up through a racing stable and then became a jockey at various stages of my life. I am lucky enough and privileged enough to have ridden upsides Tony McCoy, who famously asked me what my real...

I started out aged 14 as an apprentice stable lad. I worked my way up through a racing stable and then became a jockey at various stages of my life. I am lucky enough and privileged enough to have ridden upsides Tony McCoy, who famously asked me what my real...