Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress his Department has made on the review of charity lottery reforms announced in January 2020; and when he expects the review to be concluded.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Increases to society lottery sales and prize limits came into force in July 2020, and we committed to reviewing their impact after 12 months.
We have received initial data from the Gambling Commission and will respond further in due course.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what his current policy is on the wearing of face coverings in his (a) Department, (b) departmental agencies and (c) related bodies during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Throughout the pandemic, DCMS has followed, and continues to follow, the latest government guidance in relation to managing the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace, including any variations between the four nations of the UK.
In England, the BEIS ‘Working Safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)’ guidance provides sensible precautions employers can take to manage risk and support their staff. The guidance is available via this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19/offices-factories-and-labs#offices-7-2.
It is for individual employers to determine which mitigations are appropriate to adopt as they review their workplace risk assessments in light of the updated guidance. Face coverings, which are no longer required by law, are one possible mitigation employers could adopt if the situation/context warranted it. DCMS fully supports individuals who choose to wear a face covering in the workplace.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many gambling licences the Gambling Commission has (a) granted and (b) refused in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The table below shows the average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence. This is measured across all applicants, from the date their initial payment is received to the date a final decision is made and their case is closed.
Average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 99 days | 66 days | 75 days | 123 days | 85 days |
The increase from 66 days to 99 between 2019/20 and 2020/21 was a product of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the Commission’s delivery capacity.
The average time is influenced by exceptional cases. These are reflected below in the table showing the longest time taken to make a determination on an application in each of the last five years.
Longest time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 945 days | 370 days | 254 days | 2023 days | 441 days |
These are complex cases, some of which go to panel followed by appeals to the tribunal and court of appeal. Some cases resulted in the applicant withdrawing the application, or the applicant requesting additional time to provide the necessary information.
The table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission is currently considering, and the length of time that each of the applications has been under consideration.
No. of gambling licence applications the Gambling Commission is considering; and how long each of those applications has been under consideration | ||||
Time (days) | 0-30 days | 21-60 days | 61-90 days | over 90 days |
No. of licence applications | 6 | 23 | 16 | 38 |
The Gambling Commission has granted 1,117 licences in total over the last five years, and the table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission has granted and refused during this period.
No. of gambling licences the Gambling Commission has granted / refused in each of the last five years | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
No. of licences granted | 170 | 216 | 212 | 291 | 228 |
No. of licences refused | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
The Commission introduced an incomplete application process in 2017/18, in order to prevent applications being submitted which would be refused owing to lack of necessary information. This has contributed to the small number of refused licences over the last three years, with rejected applications now tending to relate to novel betting products or uncertainty over an applicant’s source of funds.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many gambling licence applications the Gambling Commission is considering; and for how long each of those applications has been under consideration.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The table below shows the average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence. This is measured across all applicants, from the date their initial payment is received to the date a final decision is made and their case is closed.
Average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 99 days | 66 days | 75 days | 123 days | 85 days |
The increase from 66 days to 99 between 2019/20 and 2020/21 was a product of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the Commission’s delivery capacity.
The average time is influenced by exceptional cases. These are reflected below in the table showing the longest time taken to make a determination on an application in each of the last five years.
Longest time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 945 days | 370 days | 254 days | 2023 days | 441 days |
These are complex cases, some of which go to panel followed by appeals to the tribunal and court of appeal. Some cases resulted in the applicant withdrawing the application, or the applicant requesting additional time to provide the necessary information.
The table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission is currently considering, and the length of time that each of the applications has been under consideration.
No. of gambling licence applications the Gambling Commission is considering; and how long each of those applications has been under consideration | ||||
Time (days) | 0-30 days | 21-60 days | 61-90 days | over 90 days |
No. of licence applications | 6 | 23 | 16 | 38 |
The Gambling Commission has granted 1,117 licences in total over the last five years, and the table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission has granted and refused during this period.
No. of gambling licences the Gambling Commission has granted / refused in each of the last five years | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
No. of licences granted | 170 | 216 | 212 | 291 | 228 |
No. of licences refused | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
The Commission introduced an incomplete application process in 2017/18, in order to prevent applications being submitted which would be refused owing to lack of necessary information. This has contributed to the small number of refused licences over the last three years, with rejected applications now tending to relate to novel betting products or uncertainty over an applicant’s source of funds.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the longest time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence has been in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The table below shows the average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence. This is measured across all applicants, from the date their initial payment is received to the date a final decision is made and their case is closed.
Average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 99 days | 66 days | 75 days | 123 days | 85 days |
The increase from 66 days to 99 between 2019/20 and 2020/21 was a product of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the Commission’s delivery capacity.
The average time is influenced by exceptional cases. These are reflected below in the table showing the longest time taken to make a determination on an application in each of the last five years.
Longest time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 945 days | 370 days | 254 days | 2023 days | 441 days |
These are complex cases, some of which go to panel followed by appeals to the tribunal and court of appeal. Some cases resulted in the applicant withdrawing the application, or the applicant requesting additional time to provide the necessary information.
The table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission is currently considering, and the length of time that each of the applications has been under consideration.
No. of gambling licence applications the Gambling Commission is considering; and how long each of those applications has been under consideration | ||||
Time (days) | 0-30 days | 21-60 days | 61-90 days | over 90 days |
No. of licence applications | 6 | 23 | 16 | 38 |
The Gambling Commission has granted 1,117 licences in total over the last five years, and the table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission has granted and refused during this period.
No. of gambling licences the Gambling Commission has granted / refused in each of the last five years | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
No. of licences granted | 170 | 216 | 212 | 291 | 228 |
No. of licences refused | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
The Commission introduced an incomplete application process in 2017/18, in order to prevent applications being submitted which would be refused owing to lack of necessary information. This has contributed to the small number of refused licences over the last three years, with rejected applications now tending to relate to novel betting products or uncertainty over an applicant’s source of funds.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence has been in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The table below shows the average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence. This is measured across all applicants, from the date their initial payment is received to the date a final decision is made and their case is closed.
Average time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 99 days | 66 days | 75 days | 123 days | 85 days |
The increase from 66 days to 99 between 2019/20 and 2020/21 was a product of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the Commission’s delivery capacity.
The average time is influenced by exceptional cases. These are reflected below in the table showing the longest time taken to make a determination on an application in each of the last five years.
Longest time taken by the Gambling Commission to make a determination on an application for a gambling licence | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
Time (days) | 945 days | 370 days | 254 days | 2023 days | 441 days |
These are complex cases, some of which go to panel followed by appeals to the tribunal and court of appeal. Some cases resulted in the applicant withdrawing the application, or the applicant requesting additional time to provide the necessary information.
The table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission is currently considering, and the length of time that each of the applications has been under consideration.
No. of gambling licence applications the Gambling Commission is considering; and how long each of those applications has been under consideration | ||||
Time (days) | 0-30 days | 21-60 days | 61-90 days | over 90 days |
No. of licence applications | 6 | 23 | 16 | 38 |
The Gambling Commission has granted 1,117 licences in total over the last five years, and the table below shows the number of gambling licence applications that the Gambling Commission has granted and refused during this period.
No. of gambling licences the Gambling Commission has granted / refused in each of the last five years | |||||
Year | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | 2017/18 | 2016/17 |
No. of licences granted | 170 | 216 | 212 | 291 | 228 |
No. of licences refused | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
The Commission introduced an incomplete application process in 2017/18, in order to prevent applications being submitted which would be refused owing to lack of necessary information. This has contributed to the small number of refused licences over the last three years, with rejected applications now tending to relate to novel betting products or uncertainty over an applicant’s source of funds.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Written Statement of 15 December 2020, HCWS652, what steps he has taken to phase out unconscious bias training in his Department.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Following the Written Statement HCWS652, unconscious bias training was removed from DCMS’s core learning offer from January 2021 and replaced by a new learning module for all staff on ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’. Unconscious bias training is no longer required to be completed by individuals serving on recruitment panels.
DCMS Arms-Length Bodies (ALBs) were made aware of this change and the new ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’ course at a meeting of HR Directors on the 14th of January 2021.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will introduce a registration and licensing regime for online gambling affiliates.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. This closed on 31 March and received approximately 16,000 submissions from a broad range of interested organisations and individuals, including representatives of gambling affiliates. We are considering all the evidence received carefully and aim to publish a white paper by the end of the year outlining conclusions and next steps.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring online gambling affiliates under the purview of the Gambling Commission.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. This closed on 31 March and received approximately 16,000 submissions from a broad range of interested organisations and individuals, including representatives of gambling affiliates. We are considering all the evidence received carefully and aim to publish a white paper by the end of the year outlining conclusions and next steps.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will meet with representatives of gambling affiliates to discuss the role they can play in promoting responsible gambling.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. This closed on 31 March and received approximately 16,000 submissions from a broad range of interested organisations and individuals, including representatives of gambling affiliates. We are considering all the evidence received carefully and aim to publish a white paper by the end of the year outlining conclusions and next steps.