§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire, Official Report, 7th February, column 1026, he will seek powers to control the distribution and sale by touts at greatly enhanced prices of tickets for public events.
§ Mr. HattersleyI do not think that additional powers would serve to check the activities of ticket touts. It is a usual condition of sale that tickets are not resold, or not resold above face value. It is open to the organisers to take action where this condition is not observed, and I understand that the Football Association will look into any cases brought to its attention and may stop its allocation of tickets to any outlet which is found to have sold any of its tickets above face value. It is also open to the public to refuse to pay prices inflated above the official rate.