Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with ticket sales and distribution companies on the level of their fees to customers.

My Department’s officials engage with the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (the self regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the United Kingdom) on a regular basis, as well as other organisations involved in the ticketing industry and consumer protection policy. In general, there are no limits on what service providers can charge for their services, but there are rules to prevent consumers from being misled as to the price of services. The Department for Business and Trade leads on policy relating to the primary ticketing market and my department continues to work closely with them on the issues in this area.

Consumer legislation requires information, such as price, to be upfront, where possible, and transparent. The transaction process should provide customers with details of the total price before the customer confirms the purchase. Alleged breaches of the legislation should be reported to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06 or via its website here. They are able to pass complaints onto Trading Standards for further enforcement action where appropriate.