Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Mann and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 10th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

3. What recent assessment she has made of safety within football stadiums.

[The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Hugh Robertson)]

Current policy on safety at football stadiums in England and Wales has developed as a result of the Taylor report, following the Hillsborough tragedy. Thankfully, there have been no major incidents resulting from safety failures at those stadiums since then.

[John Mann]

Unfortunately, safety is configured on what has happened previously, not on what could happen in future. Is it the case that all football stadiums in this country have been tested for mass evacuation on nothing other than a computer model that presumes perfect behaviour by all in the stadium?

[Hugh Robertson]

Guidance is issued by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, which produces “The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds”, commonly known as the green guide. That includes guidance on the importance of inspections and testing of contingency plans, including full evacuation procedures. The guidance is there. If that is not happening, that should not be the case.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Mann and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 13th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

9. How many facilities for heptathletes are planned for construction in the next four years.

[The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Hugh Robertson)]

The honest answer to the hon. Gentleman’s question is none, because heptathlons generally take place in athletics stadiums, and the Olympic stadium will remain in use as an athletics venue as part of the sporting legacy of the London games and will host the London 2017 world athletics championships. In addition, Sport England is investing £30 million over the next three years to support new large-scale multi-sport facilities.

[John Mann]

There is one planned. Emily Race is the top 11-year-old heptathlete medal-winning prospect in the country, but she has to practise on a grass football field. If my area can put together two thirds of the money, will the Minister join me in twisting the appropriate arms to ensure that the national sports bodies find the other third, so that her and others’ dreams and ambitions can be realised?

[Hugh Robertson]

Particularly after the feats of Jessica Ennis earlier this summer, I am sure that everybody across the House will join me and the hon. Gentleman in wishing Emily Race all the best. The possibility of doing what he suggests through the Sport England fund is absolutely there, and I encourage him to make a bid.

--- Later in debate ---

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

T8. The Football Association taskforce that I recently chaired highlighted a huge variation in the quality of stewarding at professional football matches. Will the Sports Minister pursue that issue with the football authorities, given the dangers inherent in that situation?

[Hugh Robertson]

Yes.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Mann and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 15th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Hugh Robertson]

The distribution of, broadly, the broadcast moneys that go into the premier league and football league is, of course, a matter for those leagues. However, we expect the governance of football to allow for a proper distribution of those moneys. I think everybody across the House is agreed that there is a considerable distance to go before that is achieved, but I hope that it will be as part of this process.

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

4. What recent discussions he has had with the Football Association on football governance.

[The Minister for Sport and the Olympics (Hugh Robertson)]

The Secretary of State and I continue to meet the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League collectively to hear their progress on the reforms that the Government have called for in their response to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport’s football governance inquiry. The football authorities have until the end of February to come forward with their proposals.

[John Mann]

The Football Association is significantly more enlightened than either UEFA or FIFA when it comes to tackling racism in football. Would the Minister be prepared to meet the all-party group on anti-Semitism and community groups such as Community Security Trust, the Holocaust Educational Trust and Searchlight to listen to our concerns about what more the Government, the FA and UEFA can do to tackle the potential for racism at the Euro 2012 championship?

[Hugh Robertson]

Yes.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Mann and Hugh Robertson

Monday 21st June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Hugh Robertson]

Despite the fact that horse racing does not directly fall into my brief, I can answer my hon. Friend’s question, for the simple reason that many of the races that attract the largest television audiences are, of course, part of the listed events review. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has said, we have called for an independent economic analysis and are looking through it at the moment, and we hope to make an announcement at the beginning of July.

[John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

MPs from all parts of the House attended a seminar convened by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on race hate and the internet. What is the next stage for the Department in this important initiative?