Vol. 516 No. 6
266 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Finance the way in which betting duty received this year compares with the returns in 1999; if betting on the Internet is having a serious effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9122/00]
267 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether it is necessary to make further changes to ensure the future of the gambling and racing industries in view of a recent decision by the United Kingdom Customs and Excise to consider reforming general betting duty to enable the gambling and racing industries to flourish on the Internet. [9123/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together.
I do not consider it necessary to make any further changes at present to the rate of betting tax which I reduced from 10% to 5% with effect from 1 July 1999. The provisional figures for receipts for betting duty for January 2000 and February 2000 are £3 million and £3.2 million. The figures for the corresponding months for January 1999 and February 1999 are £5.3 million and £4.4 million. The figures cannot be compared directly, due to the different rates of duty applicable. However, the overall receipts for 1999, at £53.4 million, were up on the 1998 receipts of £52.1 million, despite the halving of the rate of duty from 1 July 1999.
