COMPETITIVE TENDERING
93. An alternative suggestion to the proposed reforms
is the introduction of competition through the provision of services.
This could be done by splitting the infrastructure and content
of the licence in a similar way to the model used within the
utilities sector. Camelot told us that competition could be created,
not by splitting the licence, but by not requiring the licence
holder to commit to all its suppliers for the entire length of
the licence.[90] Instead,
the operator could be awarded the Section 5 licence and then have
an open-tendering process for the suppliers of advertising, software,
scratch card provision, and other supplies in order to create
competition whilst maintaining the advantages that are associated
with having a single licence holder.[91]
The People's Lottery think that competition should be introduced
to the process not through multiple licences but through competitive
tendering for areas of specialisation which would result in "better
services, better marketing, better games, better infrastructure,
better retail training and so on."[92]
This would introduce the benefits of competition which the Government
desires but without the risks associated with a multiple licence
system. We feel that competitive tendering would effectively
introduce the attractive elements of competition to the National
Lottery but would also encourage bids for the overall licence
because a better package would be offered to potential operators
containing significantly less uncertainty than is associated with
the multiple licence system. We recall that the accumulation
of risks was a significant factor in the NLC's award of the second
licence to Camelot in 2001 rather than TPL which proposed to give
a greater proportion of revenues to good causes.[93]
AUCTION
94. Another possibility would be to sell the licence
to the highest bidder (modelled on the auction for the 3G mobile
phone licence). The NLC told us that the possibility of holding
an auction for the next licence will be investigated as part of
the preparation for 2009.[94]
The advantage of such an auction would be that good causes would
have a guaranteed known amount to spend over the licence period.
However, the NLC also emphasised the pitfalls of such an auction:
the companies involved would have to put forward a large amount
of money at the outset of the licence (approximately £10
- £11 billion is raised over a 7 year licence); to borrow
that money would increase the costs of bidding (due to the interest
paid); and if a fixed sum from the takings was accepted (rather
than a percentage) there is the risk that takings would be higher
than expected and that the good causes would miss out or, if the
company was in difficulty or ultimately failed, the fixed sum
might have to be reduced or may be lost altogether.[95]
45 Information from the National Lottery Commission
website: www, natlotcomm.gov.uk/Information. Back
46
http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk Back
47
Creigh-Tyte and Farrell, Is the UK National Lottery experiencing
lottery fatigue?, in Vaughan Williams, The Economics of Gambling
(2002) p 165-181. Back
48
Q 75 Back
49
Q 75 Back
50
Information form Camelot Group plc website: http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk/responsibilities/index.jsp Back
51
Q 111 [Ms Thompson] Back
52
Ev 191 Back
53
Q 70 and Ev 17, 49, 61 Back
54
QQ 6, 8, 71 Back
55
Q 333 Back
56
"National Lottery Licensing and Regulation Decision Document"
July 2003 Back
57
Under-16 tests are carried out to ensure under-age play of the
National Lottery is reduced/eradicated. Back
58
Q 114 Back
59
Q 141 Back
60
Q 141 Back
61
Q 347 Back
62
Q 348 Back
63
See appendix 1 Back
64
Q 349 Back
65
Q 349 Back
66
Q 348 Back
67
Q 350 Back
68
Q 113 Back
69
See appendix 1 Back
70
See appendix 1 Back
71
Camelot have subsequently commissioned a further report, by Frontier
Economics. This responds to the NERA report and is reproduced
in appendix 3 of this Report. Back
72
Q 157 Back
73
Q 157 Back
74
Q 138 Back
75
QQ 138, 157 Back
76
Appendix 1, para 14. Back
77
QQ 126 , 157, Ev 50 Back
78
Appendix 2 Back
79
Q 87 Back
80
Q 77 Back
81
Q 77 Back
82
Q 157 Back
83
Ev 224 Back
84
Q 350 Back
85
Q 350 Back
86
Q 147 Back
87
Q 148 Back
88
Q 348 Back
89
Q 121 Back
90
Q 127 Back
91
Q 127 Back
92
Q 165 Back
93
NAO Report, 2001-02, HC 803 Back
94
Q 72 [Mr Harris] Back
95
Q 72 [Mr Harris] Back