Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Greatrex and Hugh Robertson

Tuesday 8th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Hugh Robertson]

Not least in response to concerns expressed across the House through the Foreign Office’s mail bag and at Question Time, we have made a priority of visiting religious leaders throughout the middle east during visits. Recently, I have seen the Copts in Egypt and the Catholic community in Jordan, and called in at the Holy See when I was in Rome for the Libya conference, to speak to them about their concerns.

[Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op)]

18. I am sure the Minister is aware that the erosion of freedom of religious practice is an issue in a number of Commonwealth countries, including Malaysia, where the Malay word for God has effectively been banned, making the Bible illegal, and Brunei, where the introduction of sharia law has caused huge anxiety among the sizeable Filipino Catholic community there. Will the Minister ensure that these issues are raised not only in the forums to which he referred but through the Commonwealth forums, to ensure that there is real freedom of religion in Commonwealth countries?

[Hugh Robertson]

I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. The Minister of State responsible for the Commonwealth, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), has got that message clearly. When I mentioned the multilateral institutions, I could not list them all, but clearly the Commonwealth is key among them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Greatrex and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 13th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op)]

T6. Can the Minister for sport update the House on when the Government expert group on involving supporters in the governance of football will be convened?

[Hugh Robertson]

Yes; we are awaiting the findings of the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport. I pay tribute to its work on this issue, as I have on many occasions. As soon as we have the report back, we will announce the next steps.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Greatrex and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 9th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op)]

15. What recent discussions he has had with the Premier League, Football Association and Football League on the licensing of football clubs.

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

The Secretary of State and I have had several discussions with the Football Association, the premier league and the Football League since we published our response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s football governance inquiry last October. The football authorities are due to respond with their proposals to the reforms that we have called for, including a new licensing model for clubs, by 29 February.

[Tom Greatrex]

I understand that the Football Association may have other things on its mind today, but is it not important that by the end of this month it comes forward with proposals that include the role of supporters in clubs?

[Hugh Robertson]

Yes.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Greatrex and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 15th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Hugh Robertson]

I am afraid the right hon. and learned Lady is mistaken. The policy responsibility for school sport lies with the Department for Education, and she should know that all too well. This Department is playing its part by introducing a new school games competition. That has been extraordinarily successful, with 11,000 schools now signed up. We will also produce a new measure for those aged 16 to 24—precisely the point at which we take responsibility for young people—among whom participation has been falling year on year for most of the last 10 years.

[Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op)]

3. What recent assessment he has made of the potential role of supporters in football governance. [R]

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

The Government’s response to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport’s football governance inquiry sets out a number of recommendations for increasing supporter representation and ownership at football clubs. In their response, the Government have challenged the football authorities to determine the best way of achieving the right changes, and we will be a key partner in those discussions.

[Tom Greatrex]

I thank the Minister for that reply and declare my interest as the founder of the Fulham Supporters Trust, notwithstanding our result last night, which demonstrates that we are not the only people who have had a bad week in Europe. I am sure that he will be aware of the proposals published by Supporters Direct on football club licensing. Will he encourage the football authorities to engage with Supporters Direct, in line with his comments about the inquiry by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and his Government’s response to it, to ensure that supporters have a role in football governance in the future?

[Hugh Robertson]

Yes, I will certainly do that. I am delighted that the premier league still funds Supporters Direct after the events of last year. The football governance reform strategy is about getting the key parts of the front end of the process right—the reform of the Football Association board, the link between the board and the council, and the new licensing system. As part of that licensing system, we expect those concerns to be addressed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Greatrex and Hugh Robertson

Thursday 16th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Hugh Robertson]

It is clear, both from our experience of the last bid and from what has happened subsequently at FIFA, that the organisation is in need of radical structural reform, and the principles of transparency and accountability must govern that. The newly re-elected president has set a process in train, and we will watch it carefully, but I doubt that we will consider a future bid until that process has been completed.

[Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op)]

Accountability and transparency are also an issue in domestic football. Does the Minister agree that it is surprising and disappointing that the Premier League has withdrawn its funding for Supporters Direct, an organisation that is committed to transparency in football ownership?

[Hugh Robertson]

As the hon. Gentleman says, transparency and accountability are an issue in English football, and we await the Select Committee’s report with interest. As for Supporters Direct, I am sure the hon. Gentleman agrees that the language used by the chief executive constituted vileness of an entirely different order, and was quite unacceptable coming from someone holding such a position. That, of course, should not detract from the good work done by the organisation more generally. I believe that a meeting between the new chief executive and the Premier League is scheduled for Friday, and I hope that it will come to a successful conclusion.