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Listed Sporting Events

The hon. Gentleman makes that point very well. I cannot speak for the proclivities of the panel. Having grown up in a Welsh family, I was taught early the other way, in rugby terms, and then went to the only grammar school in Birmingham where they played only football, not rugby. So, no, I have never been to a rugby league challenge cup final, although if the hon. Gentleman is inviting me, I would love to go. The panel reached clear conclusions as to the criterion that should be used in determining whether an event should be listed—the major event test. I am conscious that I have only three minutes left, so I will not read out the definition of a major event but will move on to the Secretary of State's provisional conclusions. The Secretary of State provisionally—I do not just emphasise that word with my voice; it is underlined on the piece of paper—concluded that he was minded to recommend that the recommendations be accepted. Those recommendations were, first, that there should in principle be a list; secondly, that the major event test should be a key criterion in drawing up the list; and thirdly, to accept the view that the events identified passed the major event test. The Secretary of State considers that the panel has come forward with a persuasive set of reasons, and he agrees that as many people as possible should have as much access as possible to events of major importance. We are particularly concerned—my hon. Friend the Member for Wigan raised this concern—about the ability of people on a low income to access subscriber services. They might otherwise be excluded from these nationally important events. We believe that listed events are part of our national identity, but we are also clear that the panel expressed no view and took no account of the impact or consequences on the sport or sporting body of the listing, stating that it considered that such matters were for the Secretary of State to take into account. Our provisional conclusion is, therefore, that the final decision should take account of the possible impacts—not looked at by the report—that such listing might have on the sport or the event in question. We therefore consider that the major event test needs to be accompanied by an impact assessment. That will involve considering any matters relating to the impacts of listing that are drawn to the Secretary of State's attention, then assessing whether listing would have a disproportionate impact on the interests of those adversely affected by it—[Interruption.] My hon. Friend the Member for Chorley is willing me on. Having reached his provisional conclusions, the Secretary of State is required to carry out a statutory consultation with the broadcasting authorities in line with the Broadcasting Act 1996. I am trying to conclude as quickly as possible before the time runs out. There is a consultation that runs until March. As part of that consultation—