Mr Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade has campaigned on ticket tout legislation for the last 4 years.
ON Monday, March 9, he will partially welcome the Government’s U-turn when speaking during the Secondary Ticketing debate.
In his speech he will say the new law deserves polite applause and two cheers – nothing more, as new amendments are considered for the Consumer Rights Bill, following a successful campaign to put fans first.
Mike has campaigned hard since being elected to Parliament against excessive ‘ticket touting’ and only partly welcomes the Government’s new position on Secondary Ticketing.
Following intense pressure from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Ticketing Abuse which he co-chairs with Sharon Hodgson MP, and with support of Lord Colin Moynihan in the Lords, the Government has now recognised the need for some regulation and is supporting the new amendment.
The amendment, once enacted, will:
- Provide greater transparency for fans, with the following details required to be provided by resellers: Seat number or standing information, if any restrictions apply (Student price or under 18), face value.
- Compel the Secretary of State to review measures relating to Secondary Ticketing in 12 months and report to Parliament.
- Put a duty on ticket resellers to report criminal activity.
Mr Weatherley said: “This has been a long standing campaign by both myself and the APPG to get some overdue changes in place. Once enacted, the amendment will provide greater transparency for fans, including seat number or standing information, the face value of the ticket, and if any restrictions apply. And crucially, it also compels the Secretary of State to review all measures relating to Secondary Ticketing within 12 months and report to Parliament. This is a success story for fans.”
He added: “I am pleased that groups such as the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the English Cricket Board and the Rugby Football Union are fully behind these amendments. Like all compromises, neither side is fully happy with the solution, but on balance, this is a good step in the right direction. To misquote E M Forster, two cheers for this amendment. I am pleased we will have enacted this law before the end of this parliament, but the review over the next 12 months is the important part.”
For more information on the amendment, click here:
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