The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 2nd September 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the latest statistics released by the Gambling Commission, suggesting that gambling harms may be eight times higher than previously thought.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling industry in the UK”The Bishop of Derby spoke in a debate on gambling advertising on 25th April 2024, with particular emphasis on the impact of gambling related harms on children and families:
The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I echo the thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Foster, for securing this debate and for his work, alongside the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans and others, on Peers for Gambling Reform, campaigning tirelessly over the past several years. While the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans cannot be in his place today to add his voice, I am sure I echo the sentiments of all Members when I say that we look forward to welcoming him back very soon to add weight to this conversation.
We have heard this afternoon that the link between problem gambling and serious harm is well documented. There are not only financial impacts of gambling addiction, which may on its own drive individuals with large gambling debts to theft, fraud or other forms of criminal activity, but also impacts on relationships, work, school and serious harm to both physical and mental health. Public Health England identified problem gamblers as at greater risk of dying from any cause and significantly increased risk of dying from suicide, as we have so eloquently just heard.
Continue reading “Bishop of Derby raises issue of gambling related harms impacting children and families”On 28th November 2023, the Bishop of St Albans’ Private Members Bill, the Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill, was introduced in the House of Lords:
A Bill to require the coroner, following an inquest, to record an opinion as to the relevant factors in a case of death by suicide; and for connected purposes.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I declare my interest as a vice-president of Peers for Gambling Reform.
The Bill was introduced by the Lord Bishop of St Albans, read a first time and ordered to be printed.
The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 17th October 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked what assessment they have made of the efficacy of Naltrexone in the treatment of problem gambling.
Lord Markham (Con, Department of Health & Social Care): No assessment has been made. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence is developing a clinical guideline for the treatment of harmful gambling. This will cover psychological and psychosocial interventions as well as pharmacological treatments. The attached document outlines the full scope of the guideline. Publication is expected in spring 2024.
The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 4th September 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how many deaths that occurred in England and Wales in the past four years mentioned gambling anywhere on the death certificate.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con, Cabinet Office): The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the response attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about suicides linked to gambling”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 24th July 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote research on the types and extent of financial harms experienced by people who gamble.
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con, DCMS): While millions of people gamble without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences. His Majesty’s Government recognises the importance of continuing to collect data, evidence, and research into the types of harms experienced by problem gamblers.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about problem gambling and gambling related harms”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 11th July 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 15 June 2023 (HL8253) what training is provided to retailers about the risk of National Lottery and society lottery products.
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con): The 2018 Health Survey for England showed that lotteries were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered, and the National Lottery Operator is mandated under its licence to have player protection strategies.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about issues associated with lotteries”On 16th June 2023, the Bishop of St Albans’ Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill – which would require Coroners to enter a verdict on the case of suicide, with a view to ascertaining if the suicide was related to gambling – had its third reading in the House of Lords and passed to the House of Commons:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: That the Bill do now pass.
I hope noble Lords will grant me the indulgence of saying a few words about this Bill. In so doing, I declare my interest as a vice-chairman of Peers for Gambling Reform and a vice-president of the Local Government Association. I express my appreciation for those Members of the House who have been so helpful. This is the third iteration of this Bill that I have brought before your Lordships’ House, and I believe it has been radically improved. I thank my parliamentary researchers past and present, Sam Parker and Chris Grozdoski, and in particular the noble and learned Lord, Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, and the noble Lord, Lord Wolfson of Tredegar, for their advice and valuable suggestions. I also thank members of Peers for Gambling Reform for their steadfast support as we have taken this Private Member’s Bill through your Lordships’ House.
Continue reading “Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill [HL]: Bishop of St Albans moves that bill should pass”The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 5th June 2023:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how many gambling or gaming machines are present on military bases in the UK.
Baroness Goldie (Con): I can confirm that some gambling and gaming machines are present on military bases in the UK. Whilst I am unable to advise precisely how many there are as this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, I would wish to provide reassurance that work is underway to understand the scale of problem gambling within the Armed Forces and to address it accordingly.
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich asked a question on the rationale behind increasing the number of gambling machines on 3rd May 2023, in response to the government’s proposals on gambling reform:
The Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich: My Lords, I echo the concerns that have been expressed about advertising, particularly the susceptibility of youngsters to it, but I want to raise a different question. Can the Minister explain the rationale for increasing the number of gambling machines, which are already deeply unpopular with local authorities, require more policing due to the antisocial behaviour associated with them, and often, as was said by the previous speaker, are targeted at poorer areas?
Continue reading “Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich asks about reasons for increasing numbers of gambling machines”
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