I am pleased to be here to talk about the provisions of the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill and how the Scottish Government proposes to use the powers in the bill, subject to parliamentary approval. We do so, of course, in the context of Glasgow’s place among the world’s top sporting destinations being confirmed when it was selected alongside the likes of London and Rome as one of the 12 Euro 2020 host cities.
We are delighted to be involved in the 60th anniversary of the event and we expect the economic benefits to be significant. Just as important, though, is that we expect that the buzz and memories that it will create will be on a par with those surrounding other famous football matches that have taken place in Glasgow. Hosting such events often involves meeting certain requirements of the rights holder, and the bill will help ensure the successful delivery of Euro 2020 by putting in place protections for commercial rights, as appropriate and proportionate, in relation to ticket touting, street trading and advertising.
The provisions in the bill to ban ticket touting have been broadly supported since they were announced. Delivering that, along with the provisions on advertising and street trading, will reinforce Scotland’s reputation as a gold standard host of major events. However, it is important that the restrictions are proportionate, so we propose a number of exceptions to the trading and advertising offences. Charity collections and busking were raised during the evidence sessions last week and earlier this morning, and I am pleased to confirm that we will propose that both of those activities will be exceptions to the trading offence.
My officials provided further information on proposed exceptions to the advertising offence earlier this week. That includes issues that I understand are important for advertising stakeholders, such as permitting advertising on buses and taxis that enter the event zones. I expect to share with the committee very soon illustrative regulations that will set out further details of how the Scottish Government expects to use its powers in the bill, which I hope will aid your consideration.
I am grateful for the points that committee members raised in last week’s evidence session and earlier this morning. I trust that the Scottish Government’s letter of Monday 7 October clarifies the position and perhaps alleviates concerns on a number of matters. For example, the Scottish Government is proposing that all enforcement officers will be local authority members of staff, and we are happy to consider whether that could be included in the bill.
Developing a bill is a process, and I am happy to listen to suggestions on areas where the bill might be improved through amendments. In light of the expedited timescale, I am grateful to the committee for undertaking consideration of the bill so swiftly. I want to provide reassurance that the Scottish Government, along with Glasgow City Council, intends to continue to publicise the restrictions on advertising, street trading and ticket touting in the run-up to the event to raise awareness among businesses and the public.
I look forward to providing more information on the rationale for the bill and how it is expected to operate in practice.