For immediate release
17 July 2006
Julie Morgan, MP for Cardiff North, will be leading a delegation of MPs to meet Richard Caborn MP, the Sports Minister, on Tuesday this week at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Julie will be asking Mr Caborn to implement the Triennial Review increase of stake and prize money for Amusement With Prizes (AWP) machines. There has been no increase in stake since 1997, when the stakes rose to 30p, and in prizes since January 2002, when the prizes went up to �25.
This is despite the recommendations of the Gaming Board of Great Britain, which the Government have not yet implemented. The Government say they have to wait until the Gambling Act 2005 has been implemented - which will be at least September 2007.
Julie Morgan MP said: "These successive delays have had a devastating effect on all parts of the industry, especially manufacturing. Electrocoin, off Caerphilly Road in Birchgrove in my constituency, has suffered badly because of the lack of certainty in the industry and their production and workforce have been slashed.
"South Wales used to be a centre for the manufacture of these machines but there is now very little left."
Julie continued: "The Government propose an increase in the stake to 50p and to �35 for the prize. These are modest increases and further delay in implementation could increase the uncertainty in the industry.
"With adequate safeguards to protect vulnerable members of the public, I think these increases should be brought in straight away - not in 2007 - and I will be asking Richard Caborn to do this. The summer is a peak period for the industry and further delays can only do more damage to an industry which has taken enough blows."
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