Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2024 to Question 15373 on BBC Scotland, whether representations were made on extending the list of free-to-air matches to include Scottish (a) men's and (b) women's international (i) European and (ii) World cup qualifying fixtures.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As outlined previously, Ministers and officials regularly receive representations from the Scottish Government on a range of issues. Members of the Scottish Government have raised the issue of Men’s football matches directly with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Sports policy is devolved. The Government’s view therefore remains that it would be for the Scottish Government to comprehensively evaluate whether there is currently the right balance between Scottish rights holders' ability to generate sufficient income to reinvest in Scottish sport, and access for Scottish audiences to those sporting events. The UK Government would then take those considerations into account.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has (a) received representations from and (b) had discussions with her counterpart in the Scottish Government on ensuring that Scottish (i) men's and (ii) women's international football matches are shown on free-to-air TV.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government believes that certain sporting events of national interest should be shown on free-to-air television rather than behind a paywall, so that they can be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible. That is why we have the listed events regime.

The Government believes that the current list strikes an appropriate balance, and has no current plans to undertake a full review of the events on the list.

Sports policy is devolved, and it would be for the Scottish Government to comprehensively evaluate whether there is currently the right balance between Scottish rights holders' ability to generate sufficient income to reinvest in Scottish sport, and access for Scottish audiences to those sporting events. The UK Government would then take those considerations into account.

We have regular engagement with our Scottish counterparts on a range of issues.

Found: The Committee welcomes the Scottish Government ’s commitment to organise a Scottish Sport Media Summit

Found: The Committee welcomes the Scottish Government ’s commitment to organise a Scottish Sport Media Summit

Found: Honours would be announced on Friday 29th December and for attendees to look out f or recipients from Scottish

Found: A Manifesto for Scottish Sport.

Found: organisations in Scotland so that such organisations will be able to keep MSPs informed on matters affecting Scottish

Found: Scottish FA Scottish Police Recreation Association (SPRA) Scottish Rowing Scottish Rugby Scottish

Found: 05 00:00:00Hampden Park, GlasgowPersonal address2023-12-07 00:00:00Scottish Parliament, EdinburghThe Scottish

Found: Collaborative Social Care2023-09-28 00:00:00Meeting / Video ConferenceKim Atkinson, Chief Executive, Scottish

Found: Three members of staff and two from our partners, Scottish Sport Futures, were able to attend the conference

Found: the Scottish Government’s accounting systems.The loans were issued as part of a package of support to Scottish

Found: A number of key issues present in Scottish sport are highlighted, including participation trends, addressing