Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 12
Establishing a Shadow Regulator for English Football quickly is crucial for effective implementation.
Conclusion
We welcome the Government’s commitment to establish an Independent Regulator. Introducing a Shadow Regulator as soon as possible to recruit staff and begin engagement and preparatory work is invaluable for clubs, leagues and other football stakeholders might help avoid unintended consequences in the new regime that could lead to dissatisfaction with IREF in the coming years. The final statutory powers, procedures and institutional location of IREF can be changed at a later date.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees reform should happen sooner and is working at pace to deliver an independent regulator when parliamentary time allows. It states a formal shadow regulator would require a Bill's second reading but assures that preparatory work is happening regardless.
Paragraph Reference:
12
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government agrees that regulatory reform should happen sooner rather than later. The Government is working at pace to deliver an independent regulator on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows. As outlined above, the White Paper sets out a framework for reform and we would encourage the football authorities to implement some of these reforms of their own accord, ahead of a statutory body being fully established. We would particularly urge them to do so in order to protect clubs that are currently at risk. Further to this, we continue to explore how best to prepare for the establishment of the new regulator, including supporting industry’s transition to the new regime. A formal regulator transition team operating in shadow form would require Second Reading of a Bill to have taken place, but work is happening at pace regardless to ensure preparatory work can take place.