Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many referrals were made to NHS gambling clinics in England in the first two quarters of the 2024–25 financial year.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the 12 months between 1 October 2023 and 30 September 2024, 24 of the referrals to National Health Service gambling services in England were of young people aged between 13 and 18 years old, according to the most recent 12 months of data available nationally.
In terms of referrals made to NHS gambling clinics in England, in quarter one of 2024/25, 876 referrals were made, and in quarter two of 2024/25, 1,038 referrals were made. This totals 1,914 referrals in the first half of 2024/25. This data is published on NHS England’s website, and is available in an online only format.
In relation to the cost of the treatment of patients with gambling disorders to the NHS, NHS England is not able to provide this information for 2024/25, as individual integrated care boards hold this data.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the number of problem gamblers not receiving treatment between the ending of the voluntary gambling levy period and the distribution of funds collected under the statutory levy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is a priority that in this crucial transition period, valuable support and treatment services for those experiencing gambling-related harm are protected. To ensure there is no disruption, operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force, and we have received reassurances from the industry that this will be delivered.
In addition, following the end of the current funding arrangement in line with the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) SR code 3.1.1, the levy will come into force in April this year with funding flowing for research, prevention and treatment as soon as possible. We will ensure funding is directed in a way which protects key services as the new support and treatment system is established.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34943 on Gambling: Health Services, what steps he is taking to ensure the new commissioning programme is in place before the end of the voluntary levy period.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is a priority for the Government that in this crucial transition period, valuable support and treatment services for those experiencing gambling-related harm are protected. To minimise any disruption, operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force. The Government has received assurances from industry that this will be delivered.
Following the appointment of lead commissioning bodies for research, prevention, and treatment under the statutory levy, all continue to work at pace to design the future commissioning programmes, and to ensure that there is no break in the provision of services. Spending decisions will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that gambling harms charities are funded from the end of the voluntary levy period until the introduction of the statutory levy.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is a priority that in this crucial transition period, the valuable experience and services in the current system are protected. We are clear that operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force, and have received reassurances from the industry that this will be delivered. The levy will come into force in April this year with funding flowing for research, prevention and treatment as soon as possible. We are clear that levy funding will be directed to ensure the third sector continues to play a key role across the future system.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department allocated to gambling addiction support services in the financial year 2025-26.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, the levy will come into force in April 2025 and 50% of levy funding (up to £50 million) will be allocated to NHS services in England, and the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, for support and treatment services in the financial year 2025/26.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much it cost the NHS to treat patients with gambling disorders in (1) 2019, (2) 2020, (3) 2021, (4) 2022, (5) 2023, and (6) 2024.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Each year, NHS England provides additional Service Development Funding for gambling disorders to integrated care boards (ICBs). The following table shows the annual allocation of funding for gambling treatment services since 2019/20:
Financial Year | Amount (£,000) |
2019/20 | 970 |
2020/21 | 971 |
2021/22 | 1,346 |
2022/23 | 4,588 |
2023/24 | 5,400 |
Source: NHS England
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with people recovering from gambling addiction on reform of the gambling industry.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials have undertaken significant engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of gambling-related harm, to inform the government’s work to reduce gambling harm in line with its manifesto commitment.
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, it is a priority that in this crucial transition period, the valuable experience and services in the current system, particularly treatment and support services which help people in need across Great Britain, are protected. We are clear that operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force, and have received reassurances from the industry that this will be delivered. The Government is also clear that the third sector, which has delivered important work to tackle gambling harm, will continue to play a key role in the future system and contribute to the research, prevention and treatment supported by levy funding.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the gambling research, education and treatment sector; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new statutory levy on that sector.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Ministers and officials have undertaken significant engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of gambling-related harm, to inform the government’s work to reduce gambling harm in line with its manifesto commitment.
As set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the statutory levy, it is a priority that in this crucial transition period, the valuable experience and services in the current system, particularly treatment and support services which help people in need across Great Britain, are protected. We are clear that operators must continue to provide financial contributions at their current levels until the levy is in force, and have received reassurances from the industry that this will be delivered. The Government is also clear that the third sector, which has delivered important work to tackle gambling harm, will continue to play a key role in the future system and contribute to the research, prevention and treatment supported by levy funding.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of measures announced in the Autumn Budget on the horseracing industry.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government took difficult decisions at the Autumn Budget. Major tax measures were accompanied by Tax Information and Impact Notes in the usual way.
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its importance to the British rural economy. In addition to the above measures, we recognise the unique position of horseracing and that the Horserace Betting Levy is vital for financial sustainability of the sport. The Minister for Gambling recently met representatives from the horseracing and betting industries and has written to both encouraging a voluntary deal that fairly reflects the relationship between racing and betting.
Within the budget, the Government also announced its intention to publish a consultation next year on proposals to bring remote gambling (meaning gambling offered over the internet, telephone, TV, and radio) under a single tax, rather than taxing it through a three-tax structure. This consultation will consider the impacts of reforming gambling duties, and subsequently set out any expected impacts of any potential changes.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support service families using high-cost credit and financial services.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works in close partnership with three not-for-profit Credit Unions which make up the Joining Forces Credit Union initiative. Armed Forces personnel, their partners, families, and dependants, can access face-to-face and online financial awareness briefings to help improve financial resilience with the aim of deterring the use of ‘pay day loan companies’. Joining Forces Credit Union provides alternative savings and loan products enabling Armed Forces personnel to make better informed financial choices.
Additionally, the MOD works closely with charities such as The White Ensign Association and Government backed organisations such as the Money and Pensions Service and GambleAware to provide financial awareness campaigns using the British Forces Broadcasting Service to highlight everything from savings, borrowing, pensions and the pitfalls of problem gambling.