Contributions
1,554 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I am grateful to the shadow Minister for his comments. A number of the points that he made have been well debated over the last few days in Committee, so I will not be engaging in…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)The hon. Gentleman shouts his CV from a sedentary position.05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I know that the hon. Gentleman is new to this place—05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)The state of the game report is expected to be a key piece of work that the regulator produces on the basis of extensive research and consultation. The Bill sets out a few…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I remind the hon. Gentleman that part of the purpose of a Bill Committee is to give our intention as Parliament. Yes, I can give those assurances and I have done so at every step…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I will take a further intervention, but I have not actually answered the hon. Gentleman’s substantive point. I want to answer it, if he gives me the chance.05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that comment. The intention of the regulatory principle is not to list every possible stakeholder that the regulator should ever engage during…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)The state of the game report will allow the regulator to better understand the finances and economics of the industry and its individual clubs. This, in turn, will inform the…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)The granting of a provisional operating licence will act as a first step towards a club gaining a full operating licence, and will allow the club to operate for a time-limited…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)We do not anticipate that happening. Enforcement would take place, but we do not want the regulator to stop clubs being able to play. I am outlining how the regulator will do…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)The hon. Gentleman said that he would not rehash the debate, but somewhat did. I have made my argument clear: ticket pricing is a commercial decision, and the Government have gone…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)Yes, absolutely. We have talked about light-touch regulation throughout the Bill. The regulator has the ability to go sooner, in both its first report and subsequent ones, so we…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)Yes, the regulator has the ability to address distribution in the sector if the current scenario reaches the threshold. We will come on to discuss that in part 6. I was going to…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)No one is disputing that. We are clear that the Bill does not stray into that. As I said to the hon. Gentleman, in his Government’s iteration of the Bill, the regulator had to…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [ Lords ] (Third sitting)The amendments from the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup regarding ticket pricing touch on an important issue that I recognise is very important to fans. I reassure fans that…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)No, I did not say that.05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I disagree that it is an important hypothetical. We can come on to talk about enforcement later on, but we are talking now about the regulator’s approach, which will be balanced,…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)I can absolutely. I said I did not want to be drawn on the specifics of the statement; I do not want to pre-empt what is in there, but I tried to give an illustration without…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair and to serve under your chairship this afternoon, Ms Butler. I thank my hon. Friend for his amendment. The state of the game report will…05 Jun 2025HANSARDFootball Governance Bill [Lords] (Fourth sitting)Of course. The shadow Minister referred more than once to clubs not being able to play. As I said, this is an advocacy-first approach; the regulator will work with clubs to make…05 Jun 2025