Fan-led Review and Football White Paper Debate

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Damian Green

Main Page: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)

Fan-led Review and Football White Paper

Damian Green Excerpts
Monday 20th February 2023

(1 year, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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I call the acting Chair of the Select Committee.

Damian Green Portrait Damian Green (Ashford) (Con)
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I will take a self-denying ordinance and avoid bad football puns in asking my question—

Lucy Powell Portrait Lucy Powell
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Leave that to me.

Damian Green Portrait Damian Green
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Thank you; I will.

My right hon. Friend the Minister is aware of the huge degree of unanimity across the House on the need for urgent reform, given the many crises that we know have affected and continue to affect clubs at the top of the game and further down the pyramid. On that basis, I am pleased to hear that we will see the White Paper later this week, but he will be aware that that is only one step in the process. The White Paper will need to be followed by legislation before we see a regulator or any of the other reforms we want. Can he tell me whether it is the Government’s intention to legislate in this Session, and if not, is it their intention to legislate in this Parliament to introduce these much-needed reforms?

Stuart Andrew Portrait Stuart Andrew
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My right hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of the issue. We will set out our plans for reform of the game in the forthcoming White Paper. As with all Government policy, when the Government commit to reform, legislation only follows when parliamentary time allows, and we will be working on that at pace.