Live Music

Baroness Dacres of Lewisham Excerpts

Thursday 2nd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab)]

My Lords, I welcome this debate and I thank my noble friend Lord Brennan of Canton for bringing it forward today.

I imagine many of us in this Chamber can still remember our first live music concert. It is almost a rite of passage. I certainly remember taking my son to see his favourite band at the time, Linkin Park. It was more than a concert; it was a shared experience and a memory that has stayed with us ever since.

The United Kingdom has long been one of the world’s great musical nations. Few countries have shaped modern music quite like Britain. From rock and pop to classical, lovers rock, grime, neo soul, and drum and bass, just to name a few, British artists have changed cultures around the globe for generations. For millions of people around the world, their introduction to Britain is not through our politics or our history but through our music. Last year, a record 23.5 million music tourists travelled to concerts and festivals across the United Kingdom, generating around £10 billion for our economy.

Every world-famous artist started somewhere. Before the arenas, the festival appearances and those platinum albums came their first performance at a local pub or a grass-roots venue. Those smaller venues are the lifeblood of our music industry. They provide aspiring musicians with an opportunity to learn their craft, develop the confidence they need, connect with audiences and build careers. Every legendary performer once stepped on to a small stage for the first time. If those stages disappear, we risk losing our artists who will inspire the next generation. Will my noble friend the Minister say what further assessments the Government have made of the long-term sustainability of grass-roots music venues? What further steps will they take to ensure that Britain’s live music sector can continue to thrive?

Sporting Events Bill [HL]

Baroness Dacres of Lewisham Excerpts

Committee stage
Wednesday 24th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mawson (CB)]

My Lords, I was not involved in this aspect of the Games, but I was aware of the conversations going on about it at the time in east London. The Government might benefit from talking to Sir Robin Wales, the then Labour Mayor of Newham, who was deeply concerned about all this, and Tessa Sanderson, who tried to engage with this area. I suggest that the problem is seeing projects such as this as being about structures rather than people. If you really want this stuff to happen, you have to get interested in the Tessas and others of this world, on the ground, who want to do something about it, and back them. If my memory serves me correctly, they felt very unsupported and doubted whether the various large structures around them would do anything consistent long term. There are lessons to be learned here. Maybe if we have a conversation with some of these people, we can learn some of those lessons.

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab)]

My Lords, I want to add to this briefly. I have been sitting and listening to what has been said, and the one thing I have not heard about is working and liaising with local government. At the end of the day, it is at the forefront of providing the facilities noble Lords are talking about. Over the years, underfunding has meant that swimming pools have been closed and other sports events have not been able to function. There needs to be recognition that we in this Committee and those higher up can say what we would like to see, but we have to work with local government because it has the routes into the community and the grass-roots organisations. Those volunteers—the parents noble Lords are talking about—have the reach and their first port of call is local government.

I just wanted to add that to the debate so we can bear that in mind. We cannot do this in isolation. We must involve local government.

[Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con)]

My Lords, this very helpful debate has, in many senses, continued the discussion we had thanks to the amendment from my noble friend Lord Moynihan, on day one in Committee, about the huge importance of leaving a legacy when we host a major sporting event. The noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson, spoke very powerfully about that on Monday as well. The huge importance of our grass-roots sports organisations is clear once again. They do so much—not just when we are hosting these major events but particularly when the spotlight is shone on them—to get young people and people of all ages more active and more physically fit, helping improve their health and helping the pipeline of elite sports people for the future.

The Saturday morning football teams, the local cricket clubs and the swimming squads that meet in leisure centres up and down the land are the real heartbeat of the sporting culture in this country. The noble Baroness, Lady Dacres, is absolutely right: three-quarters of grass-roots sports clubs depend on affordable, local, publicly funded leisure facilities to provide opportunities for people to get involved, try new sports and get more active. They certainly deserve our support. That is why it is sad to see the Government, in other departments, looking at watering down the role for Sport England in the planning system in protecting grass pitches and sports facilities. I do not know whether the Minister, when she comes to respond, can say a bit more about this review of the planning system and the role of Sport England. It has drawn concern from the Lioness, Jill Scott, and organisations such as Fields in Trust, and I hope their words of warning will be heeded.

Noble Lords are right to mention the sadness, as my noble friend Lord Moynihan put it, quoting the noble Lord, Lord Willis of Knaresborough, about that aspect of the last time this country hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games. That summer of 2012 was one of the highlights of this century for this country, but that was a part of the process that we did not get as right or make as successful as we all wanted, in spite of great initiatives such as the Sport England’s Places People Play programme and the initiative the noble Lord, Lord Doyle, mentioned, with which he was associated at the time. There is a real opportunity when we host future major sporting events to make sure that we are driving forward that grass-roots legacy and driving the improvements we all want to see for future generations. I look forward to the Minister’s response.

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[Lord Addington (LD)]

My Lords, when we have these debates we tend to follow this pattern: we talk about great things and wonderful events; we talk about the volunteers coming in and helping out and how wonderful it all was. But this amendment was not about that. It was about the second teams: it was about getting participation up and getting people to turn up. It is about making sure you have people playing the sport. Local government has its role, but it is all about facilitating people to do their own stuff. The Government have lots of initiatives, but we are not as good at this as we used to be, and there has been a cultural shift.

Many of our own sports have added to this. Rugby union turned pro, and great, famous clubs got rebranded and lost eight teams on a Saturday. Just think what that did to the local sporting economy. The Government have to get back to grass-roots sports, because that is where the infrastructure is to expand from: namely, from the volunteers. One can do all sorts of things, like redo a clubhouse, but unless we take advantage of that, and encourage them, we are going to miss.

There have been lots of examples about good volunteers, and we could have another amendment about that, because we know that volunteers quite like to do a finite, one-off project, and then they stop and have a rest. Somebody running a small club is a different type of volunteer: they turn up, as part of a lifetime’s commitment almost, to make sure that every new generation of children or junior players get coached properly, that somebody fills out the forms and that there is a secretary and a treasurer—that all that stuff happens.

With this amendment, I was trying to ensure that this goes down through sports, and maybe it needs to be done on a sport-by-sport basis, and some sports will be doing it anyway. When we talk about great examples, we miss the point. It is about making sure that we have something that goes down to the people who are already there—a little shot in the arm to help them carry on—because we are missing this. Parliament tends to do that. We forget about this when we talk about sport. We think about big, exciting events; most sport is not big and exciting. I know because I have played in it.

I understand the Minister’s answer, which could have come from anyone else, because they do not quite get what we are talking about. The noble Lord, Lord Doyle, started saying, “Yeah, we tried: it was all big and exciting, but we didn’t manage it”. This is because we do not go to where the actual volunteers are. The idea was to make sure we got some support, some structure, some help going down to the volunteers. Until we do that, we will continue to struggle, and then local government will say, “Oh, well, you’re not using that facility, so we can shut it down”—that is the negative side—and a few people will determinedly fight it, but they will always have the argument coming against them.

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for giving way. I mention local government because they are part of that grass-roots nexus for local people. They are the ones to whom our local grass-roots organisations will turn in order to try to get that extra money, that extra funding, so that they can run a boxing club, for example, or facilitate other groups. They are at the core. These are the volunteers, to whom the noble Lord referred, with a lifelong commitment to helping young people. This is why we need to remember how important local government is to ensure that we can funnel those extra funds, and ensure that they reach the right people, the right groups and the underprivileged young people who really want to take part in those sports.

In addition, local authorities are closer to what local young people want to do and see. That is why, for example, you will see skateboarding parks, because that is now an Olympic sport, and BMXing is another great, accessible Olympic sport. That is why it is important to remember local government, because it reaches the people in local areas who give their lives to make sure that they are engaging and encouraging young people to take part in these sports that the noble Lord is referring to.

[Lord Addington (LD)]

I do not disagree with any of that. I would just say that it is not a core activity, so it tends to become a secondary choice and there is pressure on local government. If you come through and give a boost, local government might be able to deliver. Local governments provide pitches for some sports, whereas they do not get involved with other sports. It is about culture, and it is a very varied picture. It can be important: many people play football on local government pitches, but rugby union and cricket clubs tend to own their own grounds or have long-term leases. There is a cultural mix that goes down there. So, local government is important, but we need to go down to the grass-roots club that, for example, runs four teams. As I once suggested to one of our governing bodies, you must remember to write to local government and tell it what you want; that will improve the relationship. There is a struggle there, but we are getting off the topic.

I think we should have another look at this, because we are still not making sure that we engage with those people on the ground. I hope that the Government will, shall we say, have a little bit more robustness in their answer. The Minister can only read out what is in front of her, but we are going down here to get the Government to give us a better answer on this one. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Sporting Events Bill [HL]

Baroness Dacres of Lewisham Excerpts

2nd reading
Wednesday 3rd June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab)]

My Lords, the United Kingdom has a proud record of hosting major international sporting events, from the Olympic and Paralympic Games to European championships and world tournaments. These events have showcased our country on the global stage, inspired future generations and delivered significant economic and social benefits.

This Bill seeks to provide a more efficient and consistent framework for hosting such events in the future. Rather than requiring bespoke legislation each time the UK hosts a major international tournament, it establishes a framework that can be applied where appropriate. That is a sensible approach which should improve certainty for organisers, strengthen our international competitiveness when bidding for events and reduce unnecessary legislative duplication. With UEFA Euro 2028 on the horizon and future opportunities to host global tournaments, now is the right time to put in place a framework that allows the United Kingdom to move quickly and confidently when opportunities arise.

The Bill, at its heart, is a practical piece of legislation. In the past, Parliament has needed bespoke legislation for individual sporting events. By establishing a clear framework for future tournaments, the Bill reduces unnecessary barriers, streamlines the legislative process and provides greater certainty for organisers and host communities.

I welcome the measures to tackle ticket touting, protect commercial rights and support effective transport management. Ticket touting can leave genuine supporters priced out and unable to access events. Measures that help to ensure tickets reach genuine fans are therefore welcome. Sponsors and commercial partners provide significant investment that helps make major events possible, and appropriate protection can help safeguard that investment.

Effective transport management is equally important. The success of major sporting events depends not only on what happens inside the venue but on whether spectators, volunteers, workers and local residents can move around safely and efficiently. For many visitors, the transport network provides their first and last impression of a host city. Yet the value of major sporting events cannot be measured solely in economic terms; they also create memories that last a lifetime. They bring families, friends and communities together in shared experiences that become part of our personal and collective story.

For me, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games remain a powerful example. My son still remembers our trips to watch the volleyball and the women’s football bronze medal match. Those memories remain with us today. The Games also touched my own family in other ways. My mother, who was retired at the time, took part in both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games. Like thousands of volunteers and performers, she became part of something larger than herself and carries those memories long afterwards. In different ways, three generations of my family were able to share in the experience of London 2012. That demonstrates the unique power of major sporting events not only to bring people together but to create memories that are passed from one generation to the next. It also serves as a reminder that major sporting events should be as accessible as possible.

The opportunity to attend, participate in or contribute to such events should be available to as many people as possible and not be limited by circumstances. This is particularly important for young people. For many, attending a major sporting event can be a life-changing experience that sparks a lifelong interest in sport, volunteering or physical activity. We should therefore seek to ensure that opportunities to attend such events are accessible and affordable, so that young people from all backgrounds can share in the inspiration they provide. Whether through fair access to tickets, accessible venues and transport, or opportunities for volunteering and participation, we should seek to ensure that the benefits of major sporting events can be enjoyed by people from all backgrounds and communities.

Seeing athletes perform at the highest level can encourage young people to become more active, participate in sport, volunteer in communities or simply believe that they too can achieve great things. Major international sporting events can generate economic benefits, support local businesses, inspire participation in sport and leave a lasting community legacy. I welcome the ambition of the UEFA Euro 2028 organisers to deliver the largest community programme ever associated with a UEFA European Championship; I believe that this should be an aspiration for all major international sporting events. Success should be measured not only by what happens inside the venue but by the benefits they leave behind for communities long after the event has concluded.

Good legislation should not simply make it easier to host events but make it easier for communities to benefit from them. The Bill will also strengthen the United Kingdom’s position as a destination for major international sporting events. In an increasingly competitive global environment, host nations are expected to provide confidence that the necessary legal and operational frameworks are in place. This legislation helps to provide that assurance.

As the Bill progresses, I would welcome further clarification from the Minister on several points. First, the Bill grants significant powers to Ministers through secondary legislation. Can the Minister explain what safeguards will ensure appropriate parliamentary scrutiny? Secondly, what steps will the Government take to maximise the long-term legacy of major sporting events, particularly for young people, including participation in sports, volunteering, skill development and pathways into employment? Finally, how will accessibility be embedded within future events planning to ensure that disabled and neurodivergent people can participate independently and with confidence?

The greatest sporting events are remembered not simply by who won or who lost; they are remembered because of the memories they create, the people they inspire and the legacy they leave behind for communities across our nation. By reducing barriers, streamlining processes and helping the United Kingdom to secure future world-class sporting events, the Bill will help to ensure those benefits are felt for years to come. I am pleased to support this Second Reading.

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[Baroness Taylor of Bolton (Lab)]

I think the noble Lord is barking up the wrong tree. On this occasion, there were no strikes involved in those disruptions.

[Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for giving way. Is she advocating for Great British Railways to unite the railway companies so that it is all under one umbrella?

[Baroness Taylor of Bolton (Lab)]

I have thought of raising this with our noble friend Lord Hendy, who seems to be on top of all those issues.

I will point out one other anomaly, despite the time. Literally the biggest game in English women’s football—the Women’s Cup Final—was held at Wembley last week and there was no service to Wembley on the Lioness Line. How ironic is that?

I welcome this Bill and its proposals. However, please can we learn some domestic lessons from this and have some domestic improvements, because there are many problems and challenges on the domestic, as well as the international, front?