Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

Debate between Helen Grant and Andrew Percy

Wednesday 8th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Grant]

We have of course looked carefully at the Portas review. We fed into the review, and the Government response made the point that article 4 directions exist and can be used by local authorities, in addition to the local authority licensing conditions that were recently used very successfully by Newham.

[Andrew Percy]

May I go back to the question asked by the right hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Dame Joan Ruddock)? Is not the real reason that those betting premises are in her constituency the legislation for which she probably voted? Under the legislation, when a local councillor faces an application for a premises licence, the operator will already have received an operating licence from the Gambling Commission. With its three very strictly limited objectives, the legislation simply does not allow local councillors in her constituency to reject a premises licence application.

[Mrs Grant]

My hon. Friend makes a very interesting point.