Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill - Report (2nd Day) – in the House of Lords at 7:15 pm on 13 March 2024.
Lord Moynihan:
Moved by Lord Moynihan
150: After Clause 309, insert the following new Clause—“Requirements on secondary ticketing facilitiesAfter section 92 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 insert—“92A Requirements on secondary ticketing facilities(1) A secondary ticketing facility must not permit a trader or business to list tickets for resale unless the trader or business has provided evidence of proof of purchase to the ticketing facility, or evidence of title to the tickets offered for resale.(2) A secondary ticketing facility must not permit a reseller to sell more tickets to an event that they can legally purchase from the primary market.(3) A secondary ticketing facility must ensure that the face value of any ticket listed for resale, and the trader or business’s name and trading address are clearly visible, in full, on the first page the ticket is viewable on.(4) The information required by subsection (3) must be unabbreviated, and must not be hidden behind an icon, drop down menu or other device.(5) A secondary ticketing facility must make it clear to traders and businesses based overseas that sell tickets to UK consumers and target UK consumers through paid or sponsored advertisements or paid infomercials that they are subject to UK legislation.””Member's explanatory statementThis amendment imposes requirements on secondary tickets sites regarding proof of purchase, ticket number limits and the provision of information, with the aim of reducing fraud. These requirements are in line with recommendations made by the CMA.
My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Leong, who highlighted that we should listen not solely to the musicians—the Arctic Monkeys, Mumford & Sons, Little Mix, Radiohead and many others—who called for these changes but to the true fans who are being scalped. It was interesting that my noble friend the Minister, to whom I listened carefully, totally avoided recognising that it is the Competition and Markets Authority that knows the scale of this problem better than anyone else and that has proposed these changes. As the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, stated, it is very rare for the Government both to ignore and to reject the clear recommendations made by the CMA.
Amendment 150 is a simple and effective way to protect true sports and music fans at the big-ticket concerts across the UK. If it is right for the French, the Irish and in New York City—and if it was right for every Member on this side of the House during the build-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, when we voted unanimously for far more onerous measures—it is right today for this House to help true fans.
It is with great sadness that I was not persuaded by my noble friend the Minister when he sought to apply to that point. Therefore, I seek to test the will of the House.
Ayes 165, Noes 154.