Fan-led Review and Football White Paper Debate

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Fan-led Review and Football White Paper

John Cryer Excerpts
Monday 20th February 2023

(1 year, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Stuart Andrew Portrait Stuart Andrew
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I commend my hon. Friend for her work, particularly in support of her local football club. I would be more than happy to meet her. I can assure her that we are taking action exactly because of examples such as the one she raises, as she will see in the White Paper when we publish it.

John Cryer Portrait John Cryer (Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
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I noticed that the Minister did not answer the right hon. Member for Ashford (Damian Green) on when we will see the implementation of the White Paper in primary legislation. Given the way things are going, the danger is that it will be delayed until next year. That is too late. A number of clubs are already in serious financial straits, and a number of them could go under within the next few months. As we have seen over the past few years, that situation will get graver and graver, not better.

Stuart Andrew Portrait Stuart Andrew
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I absolutely recognise that the issue needs addressing. That is why we have taken a considerable amount of time to get this right, and I believe that we have. I think that the White Paper will help us to secure our national game, but—as I said to my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green)—when parliamentary time allows.