Part of Prayers – in the House of Commons at 12:59 pm on 28 October 1998.
Mr Brian White
Labour, North East Milton Keynes
12:59,
28 October 1998
I certainly agree that the football task force should address that question. It is interesting that, in Italy, where the four top clubs have renegotiated their contracts to obtain a higher percentage of the revenue, that has led to a widening of the gap between those clubs and others. I fear that, were that arrangement to be replicated in England, we would see the same phenomenon. Lower Division clubs are already struggling, and that would exacerbate the situation.
I shall not dwell upon the proposed BSkyB takeover of Manchester United, but it raises many questions about pay-per-view. The Sky contract ends in 2001, and I suspect that much of the background to the Sky takeover is connected with the fact that it wants a place at the negotiating table then. It is conceivable that Sky would have been outside the negotiations on multimedia promotions and suggestions for a European super-league, but the purchase of Manchester United will give it a place at the table.
Pay-per-view for the top clubs in Europe would lead to a diminution of choice. As I have said, some Italian clubs have negotiated their contracts. Italy and a couple of other countries are further down the road than Britain in terms of digital and pay-per-view television. Before pay-per-view becomes fully established in this country, we should look at the effect that it has had in other countries.
In Italy, for example, supporters of a club can subscribe to pay-per-view and get all the away matches, but one cannot switch teams. Ordinary football supporters who are not avid fans of a particular club cannot mix and match; they are tied to one club. That limits choice.
I do not oppose pay-per-view television, but I want it to add to choice. As I have already said, the primary reason why pay-per-view has not yet taken off is economic—the problem of making it pay. If it is to make money—and there is no other reason why companies should introduce it—it has to take the market away from current broadcasters.
There are already 16 live football matches available, and if the Nationwide league suggests setting up a few extra pay-per-view matches later this year—that is, if pay-per-view is additional to what is already available—I do not oppose it. For my sins, I am a Tottenham supporter—somebody has to suffer. If I want to watch Tottenham, I can watch the team live on a Saturday afternoon, or if I am lucky and the live match is on Sky, I can watch it at home. If neither of those options was possible, and pay-per-view was available in addition, that would be a reasonable way to progress. It would make for additional choice.
However, if, on the contrary, pay-per-view replaced the live broadcasting, or, worse, if the time of the match were changed and moved from Saturday afternoon, when I can get there, to a prime slot at 4 o'clock on Sunday, say, when I cannot, that would lead to less choice.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
