Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Pound Excerpts

Wednesday 26th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Mr Stephen Pound. [Hon. Members: “Hurray!”]

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

Q2. A little calm, please.Beer and bingo may not exactly be the bread and circuses of our age, but, as leading lights of the coalition rush forward to express their love for them, will the Prime Minister dissociate himself from the snobbish and disdainful comments made by his party chairman?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for once again advertising the fact that this Government are cutting the tax on bingo operators, which is quite right, because their industry was decimated by Labour. I also thank him for drawing attention to the Chancellor’s approach of cutting beer duty because we want to back responsible drinkers, and because we back the pub trade. I am sure that the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) enjoys a game of bingo: it is the only time he ever gets close to No. 10. [Laughter.]