Asked by
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to introduce
legislation to create an independent regulator for English
football.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ( of Whitley Bay) (Con)
My Lords, the Government have endorsed the principle that
football requires a strong independent regulator to secure the
future of our national game. I am pleased to say that we will
publish the government response later today, where we will set
out plans to reform radically the governance of men’s football in
England, accepting the 10 strategic recommendations of the
fan-led review. Any legislation required to put an independent
regulator on a statutory footing is of course subject to
parliamentary time.
(CB)
My Lords, as a supporter of Derby County Football Club, who as a
team have shown tremendous spirit again adversity in the past
months, I followed the fan-led review closely. Does the Minister
accept that the time to legislate for an independent regulator is
now, in the forthcoming Queen’s Speech? Further delays will add
to the risk that the proposals will be watered down or simply not
happen. What plans do the Government have to introduce a shadow
regulator before legislation takes effect, which was also one of
the key recommendations in the fan-led review?
of Whitley Bay (Con)
As the noble Lord will know, the Government continue to engage
closely with the English Football League about Derby County
Football Club. Speaking so close to the gracious Speech, I hope
that he will forgive me if I do not anticipate that, but the full
government response to the fan-led review—which the Government
commissioned —is published this afternoon. We have accepted all
10 of the strategic recommendations put forward by and the review. My honourable
friend the Sports Minister will be setting out further detail in
another place.
(Non-Afl)
My Lords, as a supporter of Aston Villa, who beat Derby County to
return to Premier League three years ago, I tell the House that
the Premier League has accepted the need for reform of football.
Can the Government therefore reassure the House that nothing will
be implemented that could damage the global success of the
Premier League and, in so doing, undermine the rest of the
football pyramid?
of Whitley Bay (Con)
The noble Lord makes an important point. We want to make sure
that those who generously invest in football are able to continue
to do so, and to make sure that this investment flows right down
the football pyramid so that it can be enjoyed by people, because
football clubs are important to their local communities, as noble
Lords know. We think that the owner and director test needs to be
looked at, but we want to encourage investment across the whole
of football.
(Con)
My Lords, does the Minister accept that history demonstrates the
need for tough regulation? I am slightly worried about the
wording here, which refers to creating an “independent
regulator”. We need something stronger.
of Whitley Bay (Con)
My Lords, the independence of the regulator is an important
aspect of its work. The Government see the two key problems in
English football as the significant risk of financial failure and
the risk of harm to the cultural heritage of clubs. That is why
we agree with the recommendations of the fan-led review and are
setting out our details in another place.
(Lab)
My Lords, today’s announcement on football governance is of
course a very welcome step forward. Fans, when you talk to us
all, are demanding more than just consultation about club colours
and stadiums. It is the day-to-day running and ownership of clubs
that makes a difference to fans’ real involvement, as with their
counterparts in Germany, for example. Therefore, can the Minister
give assurance that this first step is not the last, and that
fans will at long last have real input and a say in the running
of their clubs in their communities? As already mentioned, can he
explain why we need a White Paper or another consultation when
has already consulted so
widely? The last thing that football needs is more dilly-dallying
and delays on this really important matter for fans and
clubs.
of Whitley Bay (Con)
The noble Lord is right that the voices of fans need to be heard
clearly. That is why this was a fan-led review and why we are
grateful for all those who participated and gave their thoughts.
The issues highlighted in the review are, in some areas, complex
and the reforms need careful analysis to make sure that we get
them right and safeguard the sustainable long-term future of the
sector. My honourable friend the Sport Minister will set out
further detail in another place.
(LD)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that all professional sport has
had problems? Community-based clubs representing us nationally in
both forms of rugby, for example, have come under pressure and
indeed collapsed or had to be reconstituted. Will the Government
use this example as a way of making sure that all sports are
better regulated? If they become successful, they become
community assets, and all deserve to be looked after.
of Whitley Bay (Con)
The noble Lord makes an important point. There are lessons to be
learned for other sports from the work that is being done here.
The fan-led review had its origins in some of the challenges
facing a number of football clubs, which is why the Government
set it up. We are grateful to and to everyone for their
thoughts. This review does have a wider application.
(Lab)
My Lords, I am grateful for this government initiative. It is
overdue. Will Ministers talk to people in Europe and around the
world? Given the problems we have seen in recent years, the same
regulation is needed for both the European and international
game.
of Whitley Bay (Con)
The focus of the fan-led review is on men’s football in England.
This is where the Government’s response, which is being set out
today, is focused. There is work to be done internationally. We
are discussing this with the international bodies, as well as
with those at home.
(Lab)
My Lords, I hope that the noble Lord’s ministerial colleagues
will have heard the strength of feeling in this House about the
need to legislate quickly and to include something in the Queen’s
Speech. I understand that the Minister cannot give an answer now.
I accept the very welcome commitment in the response published
today, but what assurance can the Minister give that the
excellent report by does not suffer the same fate
as that of the Football Task Force, on which I served more than
20 years ago? Those recommendations were kicked into touch, in
effect, by the Football Association and the Premier League. I
urge the Minister not to listen to the noble Lord, Lord Austin.
He certainly does not speak for fans on this matter; nor does he
reflect the feeling in this House.
of Whitley Bay (Con)
The noble Lord knows , the former Sport Minister,
as well as I do. She has worked extremely hard in leading the
review and is the greatest evidence that it will be followed
through. She will see that action is taken. We are glad to accept
all 10 strategic recommendations in her report.
(Con)
My Lords, will the activities of the regulator be confined to
football or might other sports be included; for example,
cricket?
of Whitley Bay (Con)
This regulator is solely for football.
(Lab)
My Lords, at the end of March it was reported that DCMS had hired
a New York consultancy firm, Oliver Wyman, to design the future
independent regulator of English football. The department
confirmed that but did not offer any further comment at the time.
Can the Minister update your Lordships’ House on this contract
today? Can he provide further information about, for example, the
length of the contract, the terms of reference and its estimated
value?
of Whitley Bay (Con)
I cannot give the noble Baroness all these details, not least
because my honourable friend the Sport Minister is setting out
further detail in another place. I shall be glad to write to the
noble Baroness to follow up on all these points.
(Lab)
My Lords, the running of the football league includes Welsh
clubs. Under the new auspices, what do the Government intend
regarding, for example, Swansea, Cardiff, Wrexham and Newport? In
this sense the English football league is also the Welsh football
league. Lastly, will the Minister use his considerable influence
to persuade the Lords spiritual to pray hard for my own team,
Everton FC? It is in trouble and may go down to a hotter
place.
of Whitley Bay (Con)
I cannot speak for the Lords spiritual, but I know that their
prayers will be ecumenically directed. The noble Lord makes an
important point. As with the application of the review to other
sports, there are lessons to be learned for football
internationally and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. We are
discussing this with individual teams and with sports bodies.
(Lab)
My Lords, is the Minister aware that one of the problems with the
Football League is that it never seems to have enough resources
to conduct a proper fitness test on prospective owners and
directors of football clubs? I realise that the Statement is yet
to come. Is this issue being taken seriously enough to ensure
that the regulator will have sufficient resources to do an
effective job?
of Whitley Bay (Con)
As I said, the current tests for owners and directors do not go
far enough in assessing the suitability for ownership of clubs.
My honourable friend will set out more detail, following the
recommendations made in Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review. I hope
that the noble Lord will forgive me if I do not anticipate what
he will say.
