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Proceeding contribution from Mike Weatherley (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Friday, 21 January 2011. It occurred during Debate on bill on Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill.


Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill

My hon. Friend makes a very good point. If a business wants to develop its products, it might underprice in the market for a number of reasons, as I have said, one of which could be market penetration. If someone wants to develop a fan base and encourage people who might not necessarily come to watch their events or try their commercial products, they will often use prices far below market value to get people to try them for the first time. A lot of ticket promotions do that specifically for concerts, sporting events and so on. Small businesses and small events that are trying to grow their business can have very good reasons why they might want to carry on a market penetration for a long time into the future. I thank my colleague for her intervention. The price that the creative copyright holder wants to charge should not be a judgment for the House or any external body. If a biscuit manufacturer wants to give away biscuits for sampling purposes, we should respect that. We should not say that touts can buy them up and sell them on. As my hon. Friend said, we should help that business to develop its market. We should not be judgmental about what it does for commercial reasons. Let us not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Let us listen to the music managers, football clubs and those who provide creative services—I have met no one who is against this measure—and get behind the Bill to the benefit of the country in the long term.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
521 c1181 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Proceeds of crime Sports Touting Tickets
Legislation
Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk