Pre-appointment Hearing with the Government's Preferred Candidate for Chairman of the S4C Authority
Pre-appointment Hearing with the Government's Preferred Candidate for Chairman of the S4C Authority

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Culture, Media, and Sport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 28

ISBN-13: 9780215559937

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In this report the Welsh Affairs and Culture, Media and Sport committees approve the appointment of Huw Jones as Chairman of S4C, the Welsh language national broadcaster. The two committees held a joint pre-appointment hearing with Huw Jones, the Government's preferred candidate for Chairman of the S4C Authority. This followed earlier reports from both committees expressing concern for the future independence of S4C after new governance and funding arrangements with the BBC were introduced - Welsh Affairs Committee: S4C: fifth report of session 2010-12, HC 614 (ISBN 9780215559449) and Culture, Media and Sport Committee, BBC Licence Fee Settlement and Annual Report, fourth report of session 2010-12, HC 454 (ISBN 9780215559654). The committees are satisfied that Huw Jones has demonstrated the high degree of professional competence and personal independence required for the post. They recommend that the Minister proceed with the appointment.

Sessional Returns
Sessional Returns

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2012-09-14

Total Pages: 442

ISBN-13: 9780215048387

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On cover and title page: House, committees of the whole House, general committees and select committees

House of Commons - Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Pre-appointment Hearing with the Government's Preferred Candidate for the Chairman of Ofcom - HC 933
House of Commons - Culture, Media and Sport Committee: Pre-appointment Hearing with the Government's Preferred Candidate for the Chairman of Ofcom - HC 933

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2013-12-18

Total Pages: 16

ISBN-13: 9780215065896

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The Committee held a pre-appointment meeting with the government's preferred candidate for chair of Ofcom, Dame Patricia Hodgson. The Committee is satisfied that Dame Patricia is a suitable candidate and recommends that the Secretary of State proceeds with the appointment.

Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill
Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-05-01

Total Pages: 92

ISBN-13: 9780215057266

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Around 80% of online gambling in the UK is conducted with operators which are not licensed here. In December 2012 the Government published a very short draft Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill to require overseas gambling operators to obtain a Gambling Commission licence. The overseas-based remote gambling operators generally opposed the Bill, on the grounds it was unnecessary for consumer protection, might drive consumers to cheaper unlicensed operators and was principally intended to bring overseas operators within the UK's tax regime. Much of the UK-based gambling industry, sports bodies and organisations working to combat problem gambling supported the principle of the Bill. Almost all those who gave oral or written evidence to the Committee raised the issue that the enforcement regime would have to be rigorous in order to provide any of the benefits to consumers. The Committee supports the principle that gambling should be regulated on a ’point of consumption' basis. The Committee also notes the concerns raised about taxation of the online industry. The Government stated that the ability to bring all operators serving UK consumers within the tax net is a consequence, but not the prime motivation, of the draft legislation. The Committee notes in this regard that, in setting a tax rate for remote gambling, the Treasury should bear in mind that too high a rate would be liable to drive customers and companies into the unregulated, black market.

House of Commons - Welsh Affairs Committee: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Draft Wales Bill - HC 962
House of Commons - Welsh Affairs Committee: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Draft Wales Bill - HC 962

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Welsh Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-03-03

Total Pages: 60

ISBN-13: 9780215069313

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The draft Wales Bill was published following the recommendations of the Silk Commission in November 2012. It sets out to devolve tax and borrowing powers to the Welsh Government and National Assembly for Wales, make changes to the electoral arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales, and clarify and update the devolution settlement. The Government hopes that the provisions in the draft Wales Bill will enable devolved governance in Wales to become more accountable. The cross-party Committee believes partial devolution of income tax to the Welsh Government should be put to the people of Wales in a referendum. The cross-party Committee also has sympathy with the argument that the issue of "fair funding" must be resolved before any income tax powers are devolved so that Wales is not unfairly disadvantaged. The issue of fair funding - how the size of the block grant from the UK Government is determined, currently by the Barnett formula which has long been criticised as providing an unfairly low allocation to Wales - needs to be examined and should not wait until after the 2015 General Election. The National Assembly for Wales should have power to decide its own Assembly term length, rather than this being decided at Westminster. The Committee recommends the clause in the draft Bill which permanently extends the length of the Assembly from four to five years should be scrapped and replaced with provisions that give the National Assembly the powers to determine the length of its own electoral term.

Football governance
Football governance

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2011-07-29

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 9780215561114

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The report from the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee says big changes need to be made to the way football is run in England to address financial instability and levels of debt in the game, and to secure its future. The committee says that crucially, reform must be undertaken without impinging on English football's many strengths. The Football Association (FA) as the national governing body of English football is the most appropriate agency to take the lead in addressing the weaknesses of English football, but it needs urgent reform itself to carry out its responsibilities effectively and meet the future challenges of the game. The Committee sets out 34 conclusions and recommendations, including: imposing a rigorous and consistent formal licensing model throughout professional English football to promote sustainable forward-looking business plans; a strong fit and proper persons test consistently applied, with a presumption against selling the ground unless it is in the club's interest; amending the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to recognise the special nature of supporters trusts and help them overcome the significant legal and bureaucratic hurdles they face when raising funding; that the FA should review expenditure at the grass roots, with a particular emphasis on coaching education. For oral and written evidence, see Vol. 2 (ISBN 9780215561053)

Spectrum
Spectrum

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2011-11-03

Total Pages: 170

ISBN-13: 9780215562128

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This report looks at the way in which commercial spectrum holdings are allocated and regulated. This investigation was prompted by the imminence of the next spectrum auction in 2012. Ofcom, as spectrum regulator, has a very difficult role to play in striking a balance between the needs of consumers, spectrum users and service providers, and the public purse. The report finds that Ofcom is doing a good job in striking this balance and is often having to make very difficult and commercially sensitive judgements. Ofcom's consultation on the rules for the next auction has divided opinion among the four mobile network operators, but the Committee remarks that they rarely agree on matters concerning spectrum allocation. Ofcom proposes that one of the spectrum licences available at the auction will contain a coverage obligation requiring the successful bidder to offer mobile internet coverage to an area in which at least 95% of the population lives. The Committee believes that this does not go far enough to hasten the roll-out of mobile broadband, and recommends that the coverage obligation should be set at 98% and that Ofcom consider applying this obligation to more than one licence. The Committee agree with proposals to implement spectrum caps and floors at the auction, this being the best viable option to ensure a competitive tension in the spectrum market place. Ofcom's remit should be widened in order that the interests of British businesses, whose spectrum use plays an important part in the UK economy, are best served.

2018 World Cup bid
2018 World Cup bid

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2011-07-05

Total Pages: 64

ISBN-13: 9780215560377

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In this report the Culture, Media and Sport Committee says it was appalled by allegations - made in evidence to the Committee - about the conduct of members of the FIFA Executive Committee during the 2018 World Cup Bid process. The Committee says the allegations merit a full, urgent and independent investigation. FIFA is urged to conduct a thorough review of the governance of its bid processes, modelled on the steps the International Olympic Committee took after allegations of bribery and corruption in Salt Lake City's bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The FA should also conduct a review of its 2018 bid,: England's bid team appears to have lacked a number of the components of a successful bid. The FA should review its longer term strategy for engaging with FIFA and other international football authorities in order to increase its influence, including with regard to governance reform. The Government should also review its advice and its own actions on bidding for international sporting events. In particular, it should consider its early announcement of the bid and whether sufficient attention was given to evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the England bid.

HC 284 - Energy Generation in Wales: Shale Gas
HC 284 - Energy Generation in Wales: Shale Gas

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Welsh Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 0215072960

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Shale gas represents an opportunity for Wales but it must not come at the expense of Wales's natural environment. Both the UK and Welsh Governments must consider environmental risks, including the traffic and noise caused by commercial shale gas operations as well as the visual impact and other environmental risks associated with fracking. The issue of treatment, transportation and disposal of wastewater is a growing concern: toxic and radioactive water must not be allowed to contaminate water courses. The Government forecasts that nearly 70% of the UK's gas supply will be imported by 2025. It is vital that the UK identifies new sources of gas if it is to safeguard the UK's security of supply. Shale gas production across the UK is currently at the exploratory stage and there is no good data yet on the amount of shale gas in Wales. Should considerable reserves of shale gas be present-as industry representatives predict-it could be a decade before a viable shale gas industry is created in Wales. The UK Government and the Welsh Government should work with commercial companies and others to provide a reliable range of estimates of shale gas available in Wales and assess the overall impact of shale gas supply on the level and mix of energy produced in Wales and the UK. The Welsh Government should also begin to consider how the employment opportunities presented by shale gas production could be maximised