BINGO CLUBS

That this House notes with growing concern the ever-increasing rate at which bingo clubs are closing across Great Britain; regrets the associated loss of an important social amenity - especially for elderly people - in communities where bingo clubs close; regrets the substantial loss to the economy of duties, income tax, National Insurance contributions, business rates and capital investment associated with bingo club closures; regrets the loss of employment, with more than 3,500 jobs lost in the last five years; notes that bingo is the only form of gambling to be subject to both 17.5 per cent. VAT and 15 per cent. gross profits tax; and urges the Government to take the earliest opportunity, Budget 2008, to minimise the number of further club, job and amenity losses in the future through the abolition of VAT on bingo revenues.