Broadcasting of Sport: Terrestrial Channels
-
2. What steps his Department is taking to support
the broadcasting of sport on terrestrial television
channels. [904522]
-
Sport is a key element of our national identity and the
Government are committed to promoting sport and ensuring
its coverage is made available to as many television
viewers as possible. The listed events regime operates to
make sure that sports events with a national significance
can be viewed on free-to-air channels, and the Government
are committed to safeguarding the regime.
-
This week it was an absolute privilege to host in
Parliament Dame Katherine Grainger, our most decorated
female Olympian and now head of UK Sport. She came with
the BBC Sport team as we all launched its new platform
that will allow more sports to feature on the BBC
website, acting as that platform. Does the Minister agree
that this is a way to inspire more people to take up more
sport and become Olympians in the future?
-
I very much agree and congratulate my hon. Friend on his
interest in this area and on hosting the launch of the
BBC initiative, which I welcome. It will stream over
1,000 hours of extra sport a year, and along with the BBC
connected sport app, this scheme will widen access to
sports fans across the country. Colleagues who have not
yet seen the live guide on the BBC Sport app should
definitely check it out.
-
We rightly protect many major sporting events for
terrestrial TV, including the forthcoming FA cup and the
FIFA World cup. There is widespread concern across the
House that the FIFA World cup will be exploited by Putin
as a propaganda coup. What is the Minister doing with the
FA, the BBC and FIFA to minimise the opportunities for it
to be exploited in that way?
-
It is understandable that any host nation of a major
sporting event, of which the FIFA World cup in Russia is
one, likes to announce the event with a fanfare. However,
the Government are working closely with the Football
Association to give it all the support it needs in terms
of security for the team and also guidance to the fans so
that they can go to and from the World cup safely.
-
Is enough women’s sport broadcast on terrestrial TV, and
if not, what can the Government do about it?
-
There can never be enough women’s sport broadcast on TV,
and I would always encourage more women’s sport to be on
TV. May I take this opportunity to congratulate
Manchester United football club, which has finally
dragged itself into the 21st century and announced that
it will have a women’s football team?
-
They are light years behind Arsenal.
-
While thinking of the victims of the terrorist outrage
last year, all of us on these Benches hope that the
families of those who were tragically killed have been
looked after.
Can the sports Minister assure us that there will be
coverage of the World cup, and will she give an honest
answer to this question: does she believe that what the
Foreign Secretary said to a Select Committee the other
day is good advice?
-
Needless to say, all the Minister’s answers are honest;
whether they satisfy the palate of the hon. Member for
Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman) is uncertain, but they are all
honest.
-
First, of course PC Keith Palmer was an avid Charlton
Athletic fan, and it was only right that the club
respected him by turning his usual red seat at The Valley
white with his number written on it, so his memory will
always live on at the football club.
On the hon. Gentleman’s second question, I might not have
put it in those terms, Mr Speaker.
