§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the provisions contained in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to make ticket touting an offence at all major sporting events. [112958]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThis matter is kept under close review and representatives of other sports are periodically consulted. Section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 currently makes it an offence for an unauthorised person to sell, or offer or expose for sale, a ticket for a designated football match. The law applies to football because the risk of disorder associated with that sport is increased if ground segregation is undermined by the sale of unauthorised tickets. There is no evidence to suggest that other sports are currently experiencing significant crowd safety and security problems as a result of ticket touting.