MP Weatherley Welcomes New Government Amendment on Secondary Ticketing

24 February 2015 - Press release

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade, and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Secondary Ticketing, has been campaigning hard against excessive ‘ticket touting’ and welcomed the new position on Secondary Ticketing as the Government publishes its new amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill.
 
Mike, former Intellectual Property Adviser to the Prime Minister, has consistently advocated that those putting on an event should have their wishes respected if they want an entry price to be capped. Live music and other live events are a vital contributors to the economy and the cultural well-being of society. Mike has on many occasions made the case that the current ticketing arrangements do not operate in the interests of fans or organisers, and that legislation was required to protect our vibrant live cultural economy to the benefit of us all.
 
The amendment (attached), once enacted, will:
 
·         Provide greater transparency for fans, with the following details required to be provided by resellers: Seat number or standing information, if any restrictions apply (Student price or under 18), face value.
·         Compel the Secretary of State to review measures relating to Secondary Ticketing in 12 months and report to Parliament.
·         Put a duty on ticket resellers to report criminal activity.
 
Commenting, Mike said: “This has been a long standing campaign by the APPG to get some overdue changes in place. The free market system has broken down due to the introduction of ‘bots’ and other factors, enabling, on occasions, obscene profiteering for intermediaries against the interest of fans and the wishes of those putting on the event. I am pleased that the Government has recognised the importance of regulation with regard to Secondary Ticketing, which will be to the benefit of us all.”
 
Mike added: “While the new amendment does not cover every change that we had hoped for, it is an important step in the right direction. I believe that the report on this issue, that will now become mandatory and be delivered to Parliament in the next 12 months, is important and look forward to seeing if further changes need to made in the future.”