To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the Premier League and the Football League.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the Premier League and the Football League.

Programme motion agreed to. Written evidence motion agreed to. Motion to sit in private agreed to. The Committee deliberated in private. Examination of witnesses.

Programme motion agreed to. Written evidence motion agreed to. Motion to sit in private agreed to. The Committee deliberated in private. Examination of witnesses.

May I first take the opportunity to thank Mr Speaker for granting me this debate? I also thank the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Damian Collins), who has been very helpful over a long period and has made some very interesting proposals to reform the Football League. In fact,...

May I first take the opportunity to thank Mr Speaker for granting me this debate? I also thank the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Damian Collins), who has been very helpful over a long period and has made some very interesting proposals to reform the Football League. In fact,...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) on securing this debate. I thank him for giving me notice of it and asking whether I would like to participate, which I am pleased to do. All the Coventry MPs have been fantastic local champions of their football club...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) on securing this debate. I thank him for giving me notice of it and asking whether I would like to participate, which I am pleased to do. All the Coventry MPs have been fantastic local champions of their football club...

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) for securing this debate. I think that he and I would be agreeable to the kind of proposal that the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Damian Collins) made: to use him as part of a cross-party assault...

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) for securing this debate. I think that he and I would be agreeable to the kind of proposal that the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Damian Collins) made: to use him as part of a cross-party assault...

As the House and most politicians will appreciate, this shows the level of support that the people of Coventry, particularly the fans, gave. Tell me

where it is possible to get 8,000 people demonstrating in a city on such an issue. It is utterly amazing to see 8,000 fans demonstrating....

As the House and most politicians will appreciate, this shows the level of support that the people of Coventry, particularly the fans, gave. Tell me

where it is possible to get 8,000 people demonstrating in a city on such an issue. It is utterly amazing to see 8,000 fans demonstrating....

I think that they have been the main agents of this partial victory.

Other people who deserve congratulations include the Higgs Charity, which has an interest in the stadium and has been steadfast in the face of intimidation and attempts to distress and bully it. I have got evidence that the...

I think that they have been the main agents of this partial victory.

Other people who deserve congratulations include the Higgs Charity, which has an interest in the stadium and has been steadfast in the face of intimidation and attempts to distress and bully it. I have got evidence that the...

I, too, would like to pay tribute to Simon Gilbert’s work on this story. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that because of how insolvency law works with football clubs, in such a case, where there is a financial dispute between a club and a non-football organisation, all the power...

I, too, would like to pay tribute to Simon Gilbert’s work on this story. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that because of how insolvency law works with football clubs, in such a case, where there is a financial dispute between a club and a non-football organisation, all the power...

I was coming on to that. The hon. Gentleman clearly has more expertise on football governance than I have; I come at this issue from a Coventry point of view. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. The football club creditors rule cannot be justified in moral terms; it does not...

I was coming on to that. The hon. Gentleman clearly has more expertise on football governance than I have; I come at this issue from a Coventry point of view. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. The football club creditors rule cannot be justified in moral terms; it does not...

I thank the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) for securing this important debate, and I thank him and others for the valuable contributions they have made this afternoon.

As I have said before, the preservation of football clubs up and down the country remains a matter of great importance...

I thank the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) for securing this important debate, and I thank him and others for the valuable contributions they have made this afternoon.

As I have said before, the preservation of football clubs up and down the country remains a matter of great importance...

I do not doubt the sincerity of what the Minister has said, but this has been going on for a number of years. Has she set a deadline? A number

of organisations are looking at football in general terms, but does she have a deadline when she will say, “Look,...

I do not doubt the sincerity of what the Minister has said, but this has been going on for a number of years. Has she set a deadline? A number

of organisations are looking at football in general terms, but does she have a deadline when she will say, “Look,...

I have robust and candid conversations with the football authorities. I agree that we need to see some more progress. Some has been made, but we need more. I will be meeting them on Friday, and I will certainly relay to them what has come out of this debate and...

I have robust and candid conversations with the football authorities. I agree that we need to see some more progress. Some has been made, but we need more. I will be meeting them on Friday, and I will certainly relay to them what has come out of this debate and...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

I will, but if my hon. Friend will just let me finish my point, he may find that it deals with the issue he is raising. Given what he and others have said today, and what I have heard—I have been listening very carefully indeed—I am happy to discuss with...

I will, but if my hon. Friend will just let me finish my point, he may find that it deals with the issue he is raising. Given what he and others have said today, and what I have heard—I have been listening very carefully indeed—I am happy to discuss with...

I am glad to note what my hon. Friend has just said. My concern, and that of other Members, is that the test, as it stands, is totally inadequate. If anything, the recent case at Leeds United demonstrates that the Football League does not have the legal power to apply...

I am glad to note what my hon. Friend has just said. My concern, and that of other Members, is that the test, as it stands, is totally inadequate. If anything, the recent case at Leeds United demonstrates that the Football League does not have the legal power to apply...

I agree that certain improvements—further improvements—may need to be made to the test. We are in a better place than we were before it was strengthened, but I still have some concerns. As I said to my hon. Friend, I am happy to raise all these issues with the football...

I agree that certain improvements—further improvements—may need to be made to the test. We are in a better place than we were before it was strengthened, but I still have some concerns. As I said to my hon. Friend, I am happy to raise all these issues with the football...

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

When she last met representatives of the Football Association and the Football League to discuss their stewardship of professional football.

When she last met representatives of the Football Association and the Football League to discuss their stewardship of professional football.

What recent discussions she has had with representatives of football fans regarding governance of professional football.

What recent discussions she has had with representatives of football fans regarding governance of professional football.

I have regular meetings with the English football authorities to discuss a range of issues, including the stewardship of professional football.

I have regular meetings with the English football authorities to discuss a range of issues, including the stewardship of professional football.