Fans being left in dark over football regulator’s powers, peers warn
A House of Lords committee has criticised the Football Governance Bill for failing to define which leagues the incoming football regulator will have power over.
The bill, which had its second reading in the Lords this month, says only that the watchdog will be tasked with overseeing “English football”, meaning that ministers will have to define the scope after it has passed through parliament.
“The government has been clear about its policy that the top five leagues of the men’s professional game should be regulated, so why not say that in the Bill?” said Lord Rooker, a member of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee.
“Leaving the term ‘English football’ to be defined by secondary legislation further down the road means parliament can’t take an informed view on the impact of the bill, and football fans can’t tell how their club will be affected.
“We recommend that the meaning of ‘English football’ should be completely clear in the bill and not be dependent on regulations made by ministers.”
A government memorandum on the bill states that the regulator’s remit “should currently be the top five leagues of the men’s English football pyramid only”.
But it has left the definition of “English football” vague in part so that it may later include the National League North and South, as well as the Women’s Super League and Championship.
Lords ‘not convinced’ by football regulator bill
In a report, the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee said it was “not convinced” by that reasoning.
“The argument that something should not be fixed in primary legislation because it might need changing in future would be an argument against having any primary legislation,” it added.
It comes after peers tabled more than 150 amendments to the bill, raising the risk that introduction of the football regulator could be further delayed.
The watchdog was first recommended in former sports minister Tracey Crouch’s Fan Led Review three years ago and was due to be passed into law this year until the calling of an early General Election caused parliament to run out of time.
Lords now face a race against time to debate every line of the bill and all suggested amendments before the house .