Lord Moynihan

The Government is liaising with: (1) the City of London police on measures being taken against fraudulent ticketing activity online (2) the Competition and Markets Authority about their strategy for monitoring compliance with the regulations and the undertakings from secondary platforms they received in March 2015; and (3) business and consumer advice bodies on how best to guide vendors and advise buyers on what the Act requires of sellers and the protections and recourse available to consumers.

The Government has no plans specifically to investigate the number of tickets available on the secondary market for the Ashes test at Lords in 2015.

Enforcement of The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 is a matter for Trading Standards and any consumers with concerns should approach their local authority’s Trading Standards or Citizens Advice via their helpline which is 03454 040506.

The Government has issued guidance relating to online ticket sales in the context of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. This guidance establishes how the requirements of these Regulations regarding transparency are interpreted for this market. This ensures that consumers purchasing tickets online from a trader are made aware of “their total price (including delivery costs and other charges)” and the “main characteristics” of the tickets, where “main characteristics” includes “the date and time of the event and the content of the event (e.g. who is performing)” and “for a ticket associated with a particular reserved seat (e.g. Seat 1, Row A) the seat number”.

As the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and associated guidance make clear. The provision of certain information on tickets offered for sale to the public is an existing requirement for traders (including “for a ticket associated with a particular reserved seat (e.g. Seat 1, Row A) the seat number”).

However, since Report Stage I have been discussing these issues with Ministerial colleagues and interested parties, and will continue to do so, in order to ensure the genuine concerns of fans and ticket sellers are addressed.

Government departments have official photographers to support Government campaigns and communicate delivery of our Plan for Change.

Solar purchasing thus far has been undertaken by Devolved Governments, Other Government Departments, and relevant Mayoral Combined Authorities and the terms are commercially confidential. However, there have been clear expectations that they must comply with UK procurement rules, including requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Procurement Act 2023.

Great British Energy will lead the way in ethical supply chains by engaging with stakeholders to raise standards and explore alternatives to diversify high-risk supply chains.

The Government does not hold or publish data identifying which UK‑registered firms imported component parts for solar panels containing polycrystalline silicon from China, nor data on how many of these components may have originated from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The Government is introducing sustainable supply chain requirements in contracts and grants. The Procurement Act 2023, now in force, allows contracting authorities to exclude suppliers, helping prevent government contracts from being awarded to those who cannot meet ethical and industry-specific standards. The Overseas Business Risk Guidance highlights regional risks and urges companies to carry out strong due diligence. The Trade Strategy published last year launched a review of responsible business conduct policy.

The Warm Homes Plan is backing British manufacturing, with £140million of investment including through the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator to strengthen supply chains, drive innovation, support workforce training and create high-quality jobs across the UK.

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition. There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that all eligible businesses, including leisure sector and community facilities, are protected from high energy costs this winter period.

Following an HMT-led review, the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme will run from April until March 2024, and will continue to provide a discount to eligible non-domestic customers, including the leisure sector and community facilities.

The Government will also provide over £60 million of new funding for public swimming pools in England for 2023/24.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure all eligible businesses and non-domestic customers, including the leisure sector, who receive their energy from licensed suppliers, are protected from excessively high energy costs over the winter period.

The EBRS discount is applied directly to the energy bills of eligible businesses by their energy providers and therefore we do not have a breakdown of support received by sectors. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has not made an assessment of how many sports and recreation facilities are at risk of closure.

There are several government-funded schemes available to help support the installation of energy efficiency measures for fuel poor households. The low-income element of the £1.5bn Green Homes Grant vouchers scheme is open to homeowners in receipt of certain benefits. Installation of measures under the scheme will be covered up to a maximum of £10,000. This extra support for low-income households, is likely to help those who are unable to keep their homes warm at a reasonable cost, and who are unable to cover the cost of energy efficiency upgrades to their home.

The Green Home Grant Local Authority Delivery (LAD) Scheme provides an additional £500 million focused on owner occupiers, those in the private and social rented sector, with a household income of under £30,000. The primary purpose of LAD is to raise the energy efficiency rating of low income and low EPC rated homes (rated D, E, F or G), including those living in the worst quality off-gas grid homes.

In addition, the current Energy Company Obligation continues until March 2022. It requires large energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to fuel poor domestic households. Homeowners on low incomes are eligible under the scheme and low-income private renters living in the least energy efficient homes can also be eligible for solid wall insulation and renewable heating.

The Common Training Test (CTT) for ski instructors was established by the European Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/907, and only applies to citizens of EU Member States. Now the Transition Period is over, the CTT no longer applies in the UK and UK ski instructors do not have access to the CTT.

Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, in common with other professionals, UK snow sports instructors who have had their qualifications recognised before the end of the Transition Period, or who applied for recognition before the end of the Transition Period and subsequently have that recognition granted, and who are resident or frontier workers in the EU Member State that recognised them at the end of the Transition Period, will have that recognition protected and will be able to continue to rely upon it.

Following the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, if UK professionals wish to provide services in the EU, the recognition of their professional qualifications across all industries (including snow sports instructors) is subject to the local laws and regulations of individual Member States. Over time, the UK-EU Partnership Council may enter into, and adopt, profession-by-profession mutual recognition agreements.

Under consumer law consumers are entitled to a refund within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Many businesses are also offering consumers vouchers or alternative dates, which consumers are able to choose should they wish. The Government is engaging with the package travel sector and consumer advocacy bodies to assess the impact of cancellations made in light of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Under existing consumer law consumers are able to choose a voucher or credit note should they wish. We are engaging with the package travel sector and others to assess the impact of the covid-19 outbreak.

Under consumer law consumers are entitled to a refund within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Many businesses are also offering consumers vouchers or alternative dates, which consumers are able to choose should they wish. The Government is engaging with the package travel sector and consumer advocacy bodies to assess the impact of cancellations made in light of the covid-19 outbreak. We recognise the extremely difficult circumstances travel agents are currently facing, which is why on 17 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a wide range of support for businesses, in addition to the £30bn support announced in the budget.

On 4 June 2019, the UK Space Agency announced its intention to award up to £7.85 million, subject to business case, to Spaceport Cornwall and US operator Virgin Orbit to develop facilities and operational capabilities that would enable small satellite launch from Cornwall in the early 2020s.

In May 2019, the UK Space Agency also opened a £2 million Horizontal Spaceport Development Fund to assist future horizontal spaceports with their plans for small satellite launch and sub-orbital flight. The deadline for applications closed on 17 July, and the UK Space Agency is currently reviewing submitted proposals. Grant awards will be announced in due course.

In energy the Confidence Code is a Code of Practice to govern independent energy price comparison websites. Ofgem accredits sites to the Code and these must follow key principles in order to operate their service. When customers are presented with options and prices, they have been calculated and are displayed in a fair and unbiased way.

Accredited price comparison websites must operate an effective complaints process. If a customer has a complaint, they should first contact the comparison site to tell them so that they can try to resolve it. If a customer is not satisfied with the outcome, they can then contact Ofgem who will then investigate the issue.

The business retail water market opened in April. Third party intermediaries such as water brokers play an important role in supporting many customers in finding the best deal for their business. The marketing activities of such intermediaries operating in the water market, as with intermediaries generally, are subject to regulation. The Competition and Markets Authority and trading standard authorities have roles in ensuring that customers are not misled when switching to alternative suppliers. The ‘Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008’ apply to marketing activities in the water retail market.

Ofwat acts as the independent economic regulator of the new market. The Retail Exits Regulations required Ofwat to introduce a code to apply to customers who are transferred via an exit setting out the contract terms that will apply. Additionally all retailers must follow Ofwat’s customer protection code of practice that contains key customer protection obligations, including a requirement for retailers to obtain written confirmation from customers who choose to use the services of a third party intermediary.

The Government will publish a green paper in due course that will closely examine markets which are not working for consumers.

As part of the Government’s response to the Waterson review, National Trading Standards have been tasked with investigating potential enforcement cases against sellers and secondary ticketing websites that do not comply with legislation from within their current and forthcoming annual budgets.

The National Trading Standards Board have allocated £300,000 towards investigation work on ticketing for this current financial year.

Local Authority Trading Standards also play an important role in tackling consumer detriment. Spending or resourcing decisions are for individual Local Authorities to make. We do not hold the requested data centrally.

The Government appointed Professor Waterson in 2015 to review consumer protections in the secondary ticketing market. He produced his report last year and in March 2017 the Government responded accepting his report in full and included amendments to the Digital Economy Act designed to enhance protections further.

The Government has no plans at this time to introduce additional legislation.

The Government appointed Professor Waterson to review consumer protections in the secondary ticketing market. He produced his report last year and in March 2017 the Government responded accepting his report in full and included amendments to the Digital Economy Act designed to enhance protections further. The Government has no plans to introduce additional legislation on the matter under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently undertaking an enforcement investigation and will liaise with other international enforcement bodies as necessary to progress the investigation.

The CMA is the lead UK member in the Consumer Protection Cooperation partnership and has strong working relationships with other countries.

The Government has not made an assessment of advice by Europe Direct on this issue.