World Cup: Football

Lord Addington Excerpts

Wednesday 8th December 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Garden of Frognal]

My Lords, I think perhaps on that matter I had better not comment.

[Lord Addington]

My Lords, would my noble friend agree that if football wants help from the Government, it must, as the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner, says, put its own house in order before it goes back to Parliament or any other part of Government asking for any support or help? In that light, can my noble friend give us an assurance that the Government will make sure that football has at least started on that process before we start listening to it again?

[Baroness Garden of Frognal]

I thank my noble friend for that question. It refers back to what I previously said. We would expect the Football Association to put its house in order and we look forward to that being learnt. Quite possibly, the result of not getting the World Cup will mean that football takes another look at the way in which it operates, although in no way would I suggest that football was at fault in our not gaining the World Cup in 2018.