Brown hints at casino rethink

During an exchange at prime minister's questions Brown said it was time to consider whether the giant gambling centres were the best way to regenerate deprived areas.

Labour MP Andy Reed asked the prime minister to think again about supercasinos as he believed they would encourage social problems.

The government had been forced to reduce the number of supercasinos it would licence to one.

Manchester was recommended as the location by the Casino Advisory Panel but it was rejected by peers.

Acknowledging the parliamentary impasse, the prime minister said: "It is true to say that this is an issue on which there is no consensus found within the two Houses of Parliament and it is an issue which is now the subject for reflection over the next few months."

And on the argument for supporting large casinos, Brown said: "In September we will have a report that will look at gambling in our country, at the incidence and prevalence and the social effects of it."

"I hope that during the summer months we can look at whether regeneration in the areas that wanted supercasinos may be a better way of meeting their economic and social needs than the creation of supercasinos."

Speaking later during prime minister's questions, Labour's Joan Humble, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, said locating a supercasino in a resort would minimise problem gambling and maximise regeneration potential.

Brown replied: "I have to say there are means to regeneration for our coastal towns, in particular our great holiday resorts - they include investing in local infrastructure, investing in hotels and
conference centres."

He noted Blackpool had submitted proposals for a tramline, a theatre museum and a better conference centre, adding: "I want to
look with you at all of these proposals and see how government can help."

Number 10

Despite suggestions that the two were interlinked, Downing Street said that while the position on supercasinos may be up for review, support for smaller and regional casinos remained "unchanged".

"The issue raised by the prime minister today was in relation to supercasinos," Brown's spokesman said on Wednesday afternoon.

He added that the issue had come up on Wednesday only because Brown had been asked about it by an MP, presenting him with "his first opportunity" to give his views on the subject.

Number 10 also stressed that Brown was not against gambling in principle, but that the objective behind supercasinos was always "regeneration".

"If there are alternative ways of meeting our regeneration objectives then we will consider them," the spokesman said.

Pressed as to why Brown had backed the motion in Parliament supporting supercasinos, the spokesman said "he is a firm believer in cabinet government".

"Since that decision was taken, there has been a vote in Parliament and concerns have been raised," the spokesman said.
"This is a listening government."