8. Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of national statistics in relation to problem gambling? OAQ53301

Statistics already exist for problem gambling in Wales from the Gambling Commission. We will include questions on gambling as part of the national survey for Wales in 2020-1.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. I very much welcome, at long last, the inclusion of gambling-related questions in the revised health survey. It's something we have raised year after year in this Chamber, so that is a step forward. But there is a lot more data that is actually required in terms of the impact within education, the impact on students, the impact on health and so on. It seems to me that this isn't something alone that we can rely on, but it is essential that we have a comprehensive, strategic collation of data to understand what is happening, because without that data it is impossible to actually develop strategies for dealing with problem gambling. I was wondering what strategies Welsh Government is considering with regard to that data at the moment. 

Thank you for raising this issue and for doing it consistently. I know that you've campaigned for this data to be gathered over many years and I'm pleased that it is now going to happen. The chief medical officer I think demonstrated very clearly in his annual report how gambling is becoming a public health issue that we do need to address in Wales. And to do so, obviously, we need good data and good statistics to inform us. We have arranged to include questions on gambling in the health behaviour in school-aged children and school health research network survey during the last year. That was a survey of children aged 11 to 16. That data is currently being collated and analysed and clearly that will help inform our way forward as well. Other sources of information will also be important.

So, officials are considering the findings of a report that was published this week on gambling and public health by Public Health Wales and Bangor University to help inform local and national actions that we can take here to prevent problem gambling and the harms that that causes across Wales. And also, we'll be keen to listen to important partners as well. So, on Monday of this week, the chief medical officer co-chaired, alongside the Gambling Commission, a round-table discussion involving a range of key stakeholders. Obviously, data from the national survey, then, will be used to allow us to track the progress that we can make in terms of combating harm from problem gambling in Wales. 

And finally, Darren Millar. 

I welcome the work that's being done to improve the availability of data on problem gambling. It is an issue that we need to take more concerted action on to address. I wonder, in terms of some of the other action that you could take, whether you can tell us whether any consideration has been given to the use of business rates as an opportunity to reduce the impact, if you like, of the cumulative number of shops that appear to be popping up in some communities across Wales on local high streets. You will know that we've raised concerns in this Chamber in the past about the fact that some communities, particularly impoverished communities, in Wales, appear to be targeted by unscrupulous gambling companies with a proliferation of betting shops. Is there something that you can do to increase business rates in a punitive way in order to reduce the potential impact of those shops on those communities?     

Thank you for raising this issue, and also for highlighting what the chief medical officer also highlighted in his report, that the harm caused by gambling is very much unequal in its distribution, and that people who are economically inactive, for example, and live in deprived areas are much more likely to suffer harm from gambling. I will certainly give further consideration to the suggestion that you've brought forward today. 

Thank you, Minister.