Contributions
1,239 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDGambling and LotteriesI know what a horse-racing fan my hon. Friend is, and we have had many conversations about that issue. The horserace betting levy is not part of this review, but we are having…08 Dec 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceMy hon. Friend makes a fair point, but we do need to start taking these baby steps toward opening as much of the economy, and of course football and sport, as possible. Logic…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Fovargue. Hopefully, I got the pronunciation broadly correct—perhaps it is easier to say Madam Chairman. I am very grateful…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceIt is very important that I do not predetermine the outcome of the review, but all reasonable and sensible ideas are welcome, as I have said. I would not like to say that we will…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceI sincerely appreciate and understand the hon. Lady’s persistence in this matter, but I have to say that we will be announcing the scope of the review in due course. She knows as…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceMy hon. Friend will forgive me for not pre-announcing, before we have written anything down, the scope of the review or the outcome of it. What I can say is that I am personally…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceEverybody wants to make sure that football can come back in as many places as possible; my hon. Friend and others have made similar appeals. We are all waiting to find out the…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceWhen we determine the terms of reference and the actual scope, we will obviously let the House know; it is vital that we do so. At this moment in time, we are considering all…25 Nov 2020HANSARD Football GovernanceOf course, the strategic review of the Premier League, which is a separate private entity—it is not an arms-length body—is rightly and justifiably entirely down to it. Its ideas…25 Nov 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Restrictions on Gyms and SportWhat everybody is going through at the moment—the sacrifices everybody is making—is precisely to reduce the chances of a future lockdown. I appreciate the work that everybody is…23 Nov 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Restrictions on Gyms and SportIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell) for leading this important…23 Nov 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Restrictions on Gyms and SportI thank my hon. Friend for his comments. Many people have asked for the data. I think I have articulated that the point is the possibility of there being a risk. As the chief…23 Nov 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Restrictions on Gyms and SportThe hon. Lady raises an important point, but let us be “glass half full”, rather than “glass half empty” on this issue. We are at the point at which we are reopening sport. She…23 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportI thank my hon. Friend for those comments. I know what a great champion he is of sport and football in particular. Indeed, I cannot commit to exactly what the tiering system will…19 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportFor millions of people up and down the country, sport is so much more than a pastime. Sports clubs, large and small, enrich lives both on and off the pitches, the courts and the…19 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportI thank the hon. Lady for the gracious tone that she adopted—at the beginning of her speech at least—and she has also given me the opportunity to express my thanks to the Treasury…19 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportI thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his comments and look forward to working with him over the coming weeks. In terms of the allocation of money, it is in the name: this…19 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportThe mix of loans and grants will of course be driven by need and the ability to repay. Of the £300 million package, we estimate at this moment that £250 million will be loans and…19 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportIt is great to see my hon. Friend, and I wish her well in her recovery. On the rugby union package, we are in constant dialogue with Bill Sweeney about the entire package and…19 Nov 2020HANSARD Sport Sector: Financial SupportThe hon. Gentleman raises a range of issues. We have encouraged free-to-air broadcasting, and we are pleased that sports that have never been broadcast before, such as Premier…19 Nov 2020