Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support is in place to protect those affected by gambling harm during the FIFA World Cup.
Answered by Paul Scully
A variety of initiatives are in place across the gambling regulatory framework and health services to protect individuals and the public from harmful gambling and raise awareness of its risks.
The Gambling Commission requires all gambling operators to make information available to customers on how to gamble safely and how to access information on problem gambling and the support available. Most operators signpost to the charity GambleAware’s begambleaware.org site, which contains a wide range of information on risks as well as links to advice and support, including the 24 hour National Gambling Helpline. The NHS webpage 'Help for problem gambling' covers common indicators which suggest that individuals may be experiencing harmful gambling, and the NHS Live Well page on gambling has been updated, providing information on gambling-related harms and signposting to sources of support.
The Department for Health and Social Care is also taking steps to improve and expand specialist treatment services available for people with a gambling addiction. Under the NHS Long Term Plan, £15m has been committed to establish 15 clinics by 2023/24. Seven specialist clinics are already open and accepting patients. DHSC has committed to undertake an audit of gambling-related harm training materials for healthcare professionals to build capability in the healthcare workforce.
There have also been a number of recent voluntary and regulatory initiatives to reduce the visibility of gambling around major sporting events. The gambling industry’s ‘whistle-to-whistle’ ban, prevents gambling ads from airing during and immediately before or after live sports coverage before 9pm. Further to this, the Advertising Standards Authority recently implemented tough new rules banning content with ‘strong appeal to children’ from gambling ads, including top-flight and UK national team footballers. GambleAware have also launched a new phase of their ‘Bet Regret’ campaign for the tournament providing increased signposting to support for gambling harm around the 2022 World Cup.
Evidence on the impacts of gambling advertising, including sponsorship around sports, is being closely considered as part of the government's Review of the Gambling Act. A white paper will be published in the coming weeks outlining our conclusions and next steps.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Markham on 16 November (HL3261) and 17 November (HL3260), why they do not have the data requested; and what plans they have to collect such data.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is currently collected by service rather than by clinic. In 2023/24, NHS England plans to report data from all National Health Service gambling services through the Mental Health Services Dataset.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of support provided by his Department to families affected by addiction.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
There are a number of programmes in place to support families impacted by addiction, including family support within specialist gambling clinics and the Children of Alcohol Dependent Parents Programme, which was supported by £7.2 million over four years. This investment in drug and alcohol treatment services through the drug strategy enables local authorities to embed learning from this programme into family-based interventions.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support students who have online problem gambling issues.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
A variety of initiatives are in place across the gambling regulatory framework, health services, and the educational curriculum to protect young people, and the wider public, from harmful gambling and to raise awareness of its risks.
The Gambling Commission requires all gambling operators to make information available to customers on how to gamble safely and how to access information on problem gambling and the support available. Most operators direct people to the charity GambleAware’s begambleaware.org site, which contains a wide range of information for everyone on risks, as well as links to advice and support, including the 24-hour National Gambling Helpline. The NHS webpage 'Help for problem gambling' also covers common indicators which suggest that people may be experiencing harmful gambling, as well as advice and links to treatment services.
In addition, support is provided specifically for children and young people. To prevent children and young people from suffering gambling-related harm later in life, since 2020 children have been taught about the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt, as part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England. The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust charity provides free training for university staff and students’ unions and maintains a bespoke student website dedicated to help protect university students and young people from gambling harm.
In 2019, DCMS secured a commitment from industry to contribute £100 million over four years to problem gambling treatment. NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are also continuing work to improve and expand specialist treatment services, with up to 15 new NHS clinics set to open by 2023/24.
His Majesty’s Government is closely considering the protections in place for children and young adults as part of the scope of its wide-ranging Review of the Gambling Act to ensure they are fit for the digital age. A White Paper setting out our next steps and proposals for reform will be published in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take in response to the recommendations set out in the ‘Prevention of Future Deaths Report’ issued after the inquest of Jack Ritchie, published on 7 March.
Answered by Lord Kamall
In May 2022, the Government published its response to the Coroner's Prevention of Future Deaths report following the inquest into the death of Jack Ritchie. A copy of the Government’s response is attached.
This confirmed the Government’s commitment to addressing gambling-related harms and prioritising gambling as a public health issue. We will improve the awareness and understanding of gambling-related harms amongst healthcare professions as well as expanding and improving specialist treatment services available for people with a gambling addiction. We have also committed to assess current gambling regulation through the Review of the Gambling Act 2005.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many job vacancies there are in each Government (a) department and (b) agency.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
As at 8am on 19 July, there are 3,349 adverts for 10,409 total postings advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website. The below table shows vacancies and posts by department.
Department | Agency (if applicable) | Adverts Live | Total Posts Live |
Ministry of Defence | Ministry of Defence | 597 | 1,199 |
HM Prison & Probation Service | HM Prison & Probation Service | 519 | 3,480 |
HM Revenue and Customs | HM Revenue and Customs | 243 | 504 |
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Internal) | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Internal) | 230 | 262 |
UK Health Security Agency | UK Health Security Agency | 112 | 175 |
Home Office | Home Office | 107 | 990 |
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy | Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy | 86 | 164 |
Ministry of Justice | Ministry of Justice | 82 | 206 |
Department for Work and Pensions | Department for Work and Pensions | 76 | 396 |
Cabinet Office | Cabinet Office | 50 | 60 |
Department for International Trade | Department for International Trade | 50 | 61 |
Department of Health and Social Care | Department of Health and Social Care | 48 | 54 |
Office for National Statistics | Office for National Statistics | 47 | 149 |
Department for Education | Department for Education | 45 | 71 |
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory | Defence Science and Technology Laboratory | 43 | 203 |
Crown Prosecution Service | Crown Prosecution Service | 39 | 82 |
Health and Safety Executive | Health and Safety Executive | 38 | 63 |
HM Courts and Tribunals Service | HM Courts and Tribunals Service | 38 | 297 |
OFGEM | OFGEM | 37 | 57 |
Natural England | Natural England | 36 | 82 |
Scottish Government | Scottish Government | 34 | 43 |
Department for Transport | Department for Transport | 30 | 32 |
Forestry Commission | Forestry Commission | 26 | 28 |
HM Treasury | HM Treasury | 26 | 31 |
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency | Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency | 24 | 36 |
House of Commons | House of Commons | 23 | 32 |
Social Security Scotland | Social Security Scotland | 22 | 70 |
Government Digital Service | Government Digital Service | 20 | 30 |
Insolvency Service | Insolvency Service | 20 | 34 |
Homes England | Homes England | 19 | 28 |
Government Legal Department | Government Legal Department | 17 | 146 |
DEFRA | Food Standards Agency | 16 | 20 |
Government Commercial Function | Government Commercial Function | 16 | 29 |
Care Quality Commission | Care Quality Commission | 16 | 65 |
Forestry Commission - Forest Research | Forestry Commission - Forest Research | 16 | 16 |
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | 15 | 25 |
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 15 | 16 |
College of Policing | College of Policing | 15 | 44 |
UK Hydrographic Office | UK Hydrographic Office | 15 | 49 |
Valuation Office Agency | Valuation Office Agency | 14 | 130 |
Pensions Regulator | Pensions Regulator | 13 | 16 |
Met Office | Met Office | 13 | 23 |
Welsh Government | Welsh Government | 13 | 56 |
National Crime Agency | National Crime Agency | 13 | 144 |
The Money and Pensions Service | The Money and Pensions Service | 13 | 18 |
Government Property Agency | Government Property Agency | 12 | 29 |
DEFRA | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 12 | 13 |
Legal Aid Agency | Legal Aid Agency | 11 | 29 |
Historic Environment Scotland | Historic Environment Scotland | 10 | 10 |
HM Land Registry | HM Land Registry | 10 | 18 |
Information Commissioner's Office | Information Commissioner's Office | 10 | 19 |
FCDO Services | FCDO Services | 10 | 10 |
Crown Commercial Service | Crown Commercial Service | 9 | 14 |
Office for Students | Office for Students | 9 | 20 |
Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills | Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills | 9 | 12 |
Disclosure & Barring Service | Disclosure & Barring Service | 8 | 16 |
UK Export Finance | UK Export Finance | 8 | 11 |
Department for Transport | Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency | 8 | 20 |
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew | Royal Botanic Gardens Kew | 8 | 9 |
House of Lords | House of Lords | 8 | 9 |
Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation | Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation | 7 | 7 |
Companies House | Companies House | 7 | 7 |
Marine Management Organisation | Marine Management Organisation | 7 | 9 |
Government Office for Science | Government Office for Science | 7 | 28 |
GCHQ | GCHQ | 7 | 22 |
UK Space Agency | UK Space Agency | 7 | 7 |
Joint Nature Conservation Committee | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | 6 | 6 |
Student Loans Company | Student Loans Company | 6 | 14 |
Department for Transport | Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency | 6 | 92 |
Department for Transport | Maritime and Coastguard Agency | 6 | 10 |
Serious Fraud Office | Serious Fraud Office | 5 | 9 |
Office of the Public Guardian | Office of the Public Guardian | 5 | 12 |
Trade Remedies Authority | Trade Remedies Authority | 5 | 5 |
Planning Inspectorate | Planning Inspectorate | 5 | 7 |
Cross Departmental Opportunities | Cross Departmental Opportunities | 5 | 9 |
UK Statistics Authority | UK Statistics Authority | 4 | 4 |
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service | Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service | 4 | 5 |
DEFRA | Rural Payments Agency | 4 | 5 |
Northern Ireland Office | Northern Ireland Office | 4 | 6 |
Forestry and Land Scotland | Forestry and Land Scotland | 4 | 4 |
Intellectual Property Office | Intellectual Property Office | 4 | 4 |
Consumer Scotland | Consumer Scotland | 4 | 5 |
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education | Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education | 4 | 4 |
Office of Rail and Road | Office of Rail and Road | 4 | 5 |
Government Statistical Service | Government Statistical Service | 4 | 40 |
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre | Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre | 4 | 10 |
Charity Commission | Charity Commission | 4 | 7 |
Independent Office for Police Conduct | Independent Office for Police Conduct | 4 | 5 |
Independent Monitoring Authority | Independent Monitoring Authority | 3 | 3 |
UK Research and Innovation | UK Research and Innovation | 3 | 3 |
Government Internal Audit Agency | Government Internal Audit Agency | 3 | 4 |
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | 3 | 7 |
Medical Research Council | Medical Research Council | 3 | 3 |
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority | Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority | 3 | 3 |
The National Lottery Community Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund | 3 | 3 |
DEFRA | Animal and Plant Health Agency | 3 | 3 |
Defence Electronics & Components Agency | Defence Electronics & Components Agency | 3 | 3 |
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service | Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service | 3 | 3 |
Gambling Commission | Gambling Commission | 3 | 3 |
Registers of Scotland | Registers of Scotland | 3 | 4 |
Competition & Markets Authority | Competition & Markets Authority | 2 | 3 |
Innovate UK | Innovate UK | 2 | 3 |
National Savings and Investments | National Savings and Investments | 2 | 2 |
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman | 2 | 2 |
Housing Ombudsman Service | Housing Ombudsman Service | 2 | 2 |
MI5 | MI5 | 2 | 2 |
DEFRA | Veterinary Medicines Directorate | 2 | 2 |
Office for Nuclear Regulation | Office for Nuclear Regulation | 2 | 2 |
Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority) | Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority) | 2 | 3 |
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | 2 | 2 |
Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council | Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council | 2 | 10 |
Security Industry Authority | Security Industry Authority | 2 | 3 |
Office for Environmental Protection | Office for Environmental Protection | 1 | 2 |
Equality and Human Rights Commission | Equality and Human Rights Commission | 1 | 1 |
Home Office | Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services | 1 | 1 |
The National Archives | The National Archives | 1 | 1 |
Valuation Tribunal Service | Valuation Tribunal Service | 1 | 1 |
DEFRA | Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science | 1 | 2 |
MI6 - Secret Intelligence Service | MI6 - Secret Intelligence Service | 1 | 1 |
Government Actuary's Department | Government Actuary's Department | 1 | 5 |
Environmental Standards Scotland | Environmental Standards Scotland | 1 | 1 |
Scottish Forestry | Scottish Forestry | 1 | 1 |
Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority | Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority | 1 | 1 |
UK Debt Management Office | UK Debt Management Office | 1 | 1 |
Parole Board | Parole Board | 1 | 1 |
Criminal Cases Review Commission | Criminal Cases Review Commission | 1 | 1 |
Youth Justice Board | Youth Justice Board | 1 | 6 |
Building Digital UK (BDUK) | Building Digital UK (BDUK) | 1 | 1 |
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence | National Institute for Health and Care Excellence | 1 | 1 |
| Grand Total | 3,349 | 10,409 |
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport regarding support and specialist treatment services available for those with gambling addictions.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Ministers have held discussions on the Review of the Gambling Act 2005 and on support and specialist treatment services available for those experiencing gambling-related harm.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were subject to a Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) as part of a (1) community, or (2) suspended, sentence order due to a serious gambling addiction for each year since their introduction in 2005.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Offenders with a gambling addiction may be suitable for a Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) as part of a community or suspended sentence order where mental health has been identified as an underlying factor.
Data on the factors underlying the use of MHTRs is collected on the primary presenting need such as anxiety or depression. As problem gambling is not identified as a primary presenting need the data requested is not currently available
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what sanctions the Ofcom can impose on advertisers referred to them by the Advertising Standards Agency for consistently breaking advertising standards.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for writing and enforcing standards for advertisers through the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (BCAP Code) and the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code). In certain areas of these codes the ASA can refer cases to a number of different backstop regulators who have additional enforcement powers. The regulators that can be involved depend on the media in which advertising is published or the type of breach in question.
The ASA’s responsibility for the day-to-day regulation of broadcast advertising content is established under a co-regulatory arrangement with Ofcom. Ofcom can take enforcement action, such as sanctions, against broadcasters who do not comply with ASA decisions and/or where breaches are sufficiently serious.
For non-broadcast advertising, including newspapers, magazines, out of home and the majority of online advertising, the self-regulatory framework primarily applies to advertisers. Where further powers of enforcement have been deemed necessary, the ASA is able to refer certain cases to relevant statutory backstop regulators, such as to the Gambling Commission in the case of gambling advertising, the Competition and Markets Authority in relation to competition in digital markets, and to Trading Standards Services for misleading advertising. Those organisations are able to apply sanctions in line with their respective legislative powers.
Separately, as a result of the Health and Care Act, from 1 January 2024, Ofcom will have the power to sanction broadcasters and online advertisers that breach restrictions surrounding the advertising of products high in fat, sugar or salt on TV or via paid-for advertising online. Ofcom will have statutory responsibility for enforcing restrictions including powers to designate functions to a frontline regulator who will be responsible for the day to day enforcement of the policy. Ofcom will be able to take enforcement action, including the imposition of financial penalties on broadcasters and online advertisers.
The Government consultation on the Online Advertising Programme launched earlier this year and closed on 8 June. The Online Advertising Programme is examining the regulatory model for online advertising to ensure it protects consumers and minimises harm. This work includes looking at the role of platforms and intermediaries, as well as advertisers, to ensure the overarching system is coherent, supporting a sustainable, transparent and accountable online advertising market. We will be publishing a Government response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support Hampshire and Isle of Wight integrated care system to deliver mental health services that meet levels of demand in that region.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
We have provided Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System with funding to increase access to specialist maternal and perinatal mental health services for at least 600 women by March 2023. This will also allow increased access to psychological support for anxiety and depression for more than 50,000 people a year and new and integrated models of primary and community mental health care for over 13,000 people a year with complex mental health problems.
A suicide bereavement support service has been in place since April 2022 and a problem gambling pilot service has recently been launched. In addition, new mental health provision for rough sleepers is being developed.
Additional investment has improved the capacity and resilience of the mental health crisis pathway for children and young people and specialist community child and adolescent mental health services to address increased demand and historic waiting lists. This investment has also increased the capacity of prevention and early help services and expanded the provision of eight new mental health support teams since January 2021.