Public Servant Lifestyle

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell stressed that protection of consumers is of paramount importance as she put the entertainments industry on notice to deliver significant progress on tackling the current epidemic of ticket touting. Speaking at a conference of industry major players - including the National Arenas Association, Ticketmaster, the FA Premier League and the Society of London Theatres -she underlined that, while in the first instance it was industry that should come up with a solution, if it fails to do so, the Government would not rule out legislating on the matter.

The Government is concerned that genuine fans are being priced out of the market by ticket touts who often charge as much as ten times the face value for tickets for the most popular sporting and entertainment events.

Following a summit with industry leaders at the headquarters of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Ms Jowell - together with the Creative Industries Minister Shaun Woodward - spelt out an action plan to tackle the issue.

The plan as outlined currently consists of:

A DCMS-led public consultation to establish the views of consumers and industry on what action is necessary.

An industry agreement to introduce a formal 'returns policy', whereby fans can return tickets at face value to the original sellers if they are unable to attend an event.

A website being set up by the Concert Promoters Association where fans can exchange tickets at face value.

A drive to work with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to draw up terms of conditions and kite marks for ticket sales websites, so that consumers know they are buying from an approved agent.

A pledge to continue working with the industry and OFT to draw up an over-arching code of practice for both primary and secondary tickets sellers. Where appropriate, Ministers will now be looking to industry for details on how they can deliver this in practice.

Tessa Jowell said: "The innocent victim of ticket touting is the fan who has to pay through the nose for a vastly over priced ticket to see their sporting, stage or musical hero. These are the people we must protect.

"I have met with the industry three times now and good progress is being made – the steps I am setting out following today's summit show that.

"But the industry should consider itself on notice – if it hasn't come up with a workable solution to stamping out the most unscrupulous touts by next summer, where there is clear evidence it's needed, we may consider targeted action and changes in legislation to ensure genuine fans are protected from exploitation."

In 2005 the OFT launched a fact-finding study into the ways agents offering tickets for entertainment and sporting events operate - to see if the existing 'system' is working for - or against - consumers.

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