Draft Major Sporting Events (Income tax Exemption) (2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games) Regulations 2022
Draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Finals) Regulations 2022
Draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (Finalissima Football Match) Regulations 2022
(Limited Text - Ministerial Extracts only)
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The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Lucy Frazer)
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games) Regulations 2022.
The Chair
With this it will be convenient to consider the draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Finals) Regulations 2022 and the draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (Finalissima Football Match) Regulations 2022.
Lucy Frazer
It is a pleasure to appear before you today, Mr Robertson.
The three draft regulations before the Committee will provide an income tax exemption for accredited overseas individuals who take part in the UEFA women’s Euro 2022 finals tournament, the Finalissima football match being hosted at Wembley stadium, and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth games. These exemptions will apply to any UK income received either for competing in any of these events or for duties and services performed in connection with them.
The Government recognise the great benefits that all sport, including sport at its highest level, brings to this country. International matches, tournaments and meets inspire the next generation of athletes, bring together communities and boost the economy. Clearly, after the challenges of covid-19, the Government must do all they can to ensure that the industry that supports those events can continue to flourish.
This summer, the UK will host three major sporting events. First, in June, UEFA will hold the Finalissima at Wembley stadium, where the European champions, Italy, will play their South American counterparts, Argentina, in the first match of its type. Secondly, in July, the UEFA women’s Euro tournament will take place in 10 venues across England, with the final taking place at Wembley stadium. Thirdly, this summer, Birmingham will host the 2022 Commonwealth games. I am sure Members will agree that these are all fantastic events, and the Government are determined to support them.
By granting tax exemptions, not only do we ensure the right to host these world-class events but, on a practical level, we reduce the extra demands for individual competitors by removing the need to consider withholding taxes, completing self-assessment tax returns and double taxation treaties. That is why we are introducing the measures contained in the regulations.
Under the regulations, non-resident players, officials and individuals who have been appointed by UEFA or the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee will be exempt from income tax on earnings connected to these events. The exemption for the Finalissima football match will be in place from 28 May to 2 June this year, the exemption for the women’s Euros tournament will run from 1 July to 6 August, and the exemption for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth games will run from 1 July to 11 August. The regulations will bring economic benefit to the local areas of Brighton and Hove, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Rotherham, Sheffield, Southampton, Trafford, Wigan and Leigh, and Birmingham.
Tax exemptions for world-class sporting events such as the ones covered by the regulations are nothing new. Such arrangements were in place for competitors and individuals connected with the 2012 Olympics, the 2011, 2013 and 2017 UEFA Champions League finals, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth games, the 2017 world athletics championships, and the 2020 UEFA men’s Euro football finals. I should point out that tax exemptions of this type are reserved only for the most exceptional events. I am confident that the Committee will agree that all three of the fixtures that I have mentioned meet that criterion.
The income tax exemptions for these three events will support the Government’s commitment to make the UK a global destination for world-class sport. I commend the regulations to the Committee.
Lucy Frazer
I am grateful to the hon. Members for their contributions and the indication that there will not be any opposition to these very important measures, which will ensure that we remain at the forefront of sporting activities, bringing wealth to our local economies.
The hon. Member for Ealing North mentioned the availability of tickets for certain matches. His constituents will have to be swift off the mark. For the UEFA women’s Euro finals, more than 350,000 of the more than 700,000 tickets available have been sold during presale and the public ballot window. I am sure that he will advertise that to his constituents. It means that Euro 2022 is already on track to be a record-breaking event, and I am sure it will bring a large amount of benefit to his constituency and the areas around him.
As the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife knows, the Government are taking action on a number of measures to ensure that our economy works and that we tackle tax avoidance and tax evasion. I commend these measures to the House.
Question put and agreed to.
DRAFT MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS (INCOME TAX EXEMPTION) (UEFA WOMEN’S EURO 2022 FINALS) REGULATIONS 2022
Resolved,
That the Committee has considered the draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Finals) Regulations 2022.—(Lucy Frazer.)
DRAFT MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS (INCOME TAX EXEMPTION) (FINALISSIMA FOOTBALL MATCH) REGULATIONS 2022
Resolved,
That the Committee has considered the draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (Finalissima Football Match) Regulations 2022.—(Lucy Frazer.)