Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the events of 28 May 2022 at the UEFA Champions League final in Paris, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of claims made by (a) the French Government about the supposed prevalence of fake tickets held by Liverpool fans and (b) representatives of UEFA about the alleged late arrival of fans; and whether she has had discussions with the French Minister for the Interior on that matter; and whether she has been provided any evidence on that matter from the French Minister for the Interior.

We were appalled by the terrifying and potentially dangerous conditions experienced by many Liverpool fans at the Champions League and I am shocked and concerned by what has come to light. I met with the French Minister for Sport last week, and raised these concerns directly, and we will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and with Liverpool FC.

We welcome the fact that UEFA have commissioned an independent investigation, and issued an apology to fans who attended the final; and that the French Government has commissioned a review of the delivery of the event and will also be supporting the UEFA investigation.

UEFA has in place a complaints procedure for fans to present evidence, and Liverpool FC are collating fan experiences, via their website, to contribute to the UEFA investigation. We urge fans to send accounts of their experiences to the club.

Fans deserve to know what happened. So it is absolutely right that the relevant authorities are now fully investigating these events. These investigations must establish the facts so that the authorities can learn lessons from the event and ensure we do not see scenes like this again.