Oral Answers to Questions

Emma Foody Excerpts

Wednesday 4th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that question. It was important for me to go to Belfast to meet the injured officers and simply to say thank you for what they are doing, and of course, to recognise the impact on their families. I recognise the difficult financial position that the PSNI faces, and the chief constable and I have spoken about this issue on more than one occasion, as Members would expect. Predominantly, it is for the Justice Minister and the Executive to set the PSNI’s budget, and how the chief constable allocates that budget is an operational matter for him, but I have been talking to him about what further support might be possible, because I realise just how important it is to him, to the PSNI and to Northern Ireland more generally.

[Emma Foody (Cramlington and Killingworth) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q4. Last week, ticket-selling websites such as Ticketmaster left millions of Oasis fans furious, but worse still came minutes later, when tickets started to be relisted online for thousands of pounds. This profiteering at fans’ expense is not a one-off, and the Co-operative party is campaigning for a new licensing body with real teeth to tackle this online touting. Does the Prime Minister agree that fans should be at the heart of live music, and that urgent action is needed to protect fans against this horrid practice?

[The Prime Minister]

Yes, I do. First, it is great that Oasis are back together—from what I have determined, about half the country was probably queuing for tickets over the weekend—but it is depressing to hear of price hikes. I am committed to putting fans at the heart of music and ending extortionate resales, and we are starting a consultation to work out how best we can do that.