Monday 12 Nov 2007 @ 17:17
Scottish Government
Scottish Government
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Commonwealth Games Bill
The Scottish Government has today published a Bill aimed at ensuring the success of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Following Friday's announcement that Glasgow will host the Games, the Scottish Parliament will now consider the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill, which aims to protect the Games from 'ambush marketing' and ticket touts, while putting powers in place to address matters such as transport and land purchase.
Under terms set out by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Scottish Government gave a commitment that, when Glasgow won, legislation covering these areas would be in place by 2010.
Ambush marketing is regarded as a major threat to large sporting events like the Commonwealth Games. Businesses pay significant sums of money to become official sponsors of such events, thereby helping to offset overall costs.
Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said:
"The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow and we are getting to work right away to make sure these Games are the greatest sporting event Scotland has ever seen.
"Bringing the Games to Glasgow is great news for Scotland and this Bill is designed to protect the event and to put in place measures to stop activities that could undermine its success.
"This is an exciting time for Scotland - staging the Games gives us the opportunity to showcase one of the world's most dynamic cities and highlight the very best of Scotland."
Temporary legislation like this Bill is routinely introduced around large sporting events, including the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London.
The Bill would allow the Organising Committee to appoint existing Trading Standards officers to enforce these provisions. These officers will have powers to seize offending merchandise, cover billboards and signs and, under warrant, search premises where they suspect offences are being committed.
The main measures of the Bill will:
* Create new criminal offences prohibiting unauthorised advertising and outdoor trading within the vicinity of the Games venues, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding £20,000 or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment
* Create a new criminal offence to prohibit the unauthorised sale of Games tickets in public, in excess of face value or with a view to making a profit, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000)
* Provide for the designation of enforcement officers empowered to enforce the Games advertising, street trading and ticket touting offences, and make it a criminal offence to obstruct them in their duties, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale
* Provide councils with the power to make Games traffic regulation orders
* Provide Scottish Ministers with the power to direct councils to make, vary or revoke any instrument which regulates road use in relation to the Transport Plan for the Games
* Provide councils with the power to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order for land within their area which they believe is required for the Games purposes
* Provide the Scottish Ministers with powers to pay grants and provide other forms of assistance to the Organising Committee of the Games and set conditions on such assistance
* Provide the Scottish Ministers with the power to repeal the Act from the statute book once the Games have ended
Related Information
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/04-GlasgowCommGames/index.htm
Following Friday's announcement that Glasgow will host the Games, the Scottish Parliament will now consider the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill, which aims to protect the Games from 'ambush marketing' and ticket touts, while putting powers in place to address matters such as transport and land purchase.
Under terms set out by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Scottish Government gave a commitment that, when Glasgow won, legislation covering these areas would be in place by 2010.
Ambush marketing is regarded as a major threat to large sporting events like the Commonwealth Games. Businesses pay significant sums of money to become official sponsors of such events, thereby helping to offset overall costs.
Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said:
"The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow and we are getting to work right away to make sure these Games are the greatest sporting event Scotland has ever seen.
"Bringing the Games to Glasgow is great news for Scotland and this Bill is designed to protect the event and to put in place measures to stop activities that could undermine its success.
"This is an exciting time for Scotland - staging the Games gives us the opportunity to showcase one of the world's most dynamic cities and highlight the very best of Scotland."
Temporary legislation like this Bill is routinely introduced around large sporting events, including the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London.
The Bill would allow the Organising Committee to appoint existing Trading Standards officers to enforce these provisions. These officers will have powers to seize offending merchandise, cover billboards and signs and, under warrant, search premises where they suspect offences are being committed.
The main measures of the Bill will:
* Create new criminal offences prohibiting unauthorised advertising and outdoor trading within the vicinity of the Games venues, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding £20,000 or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment
* Create a new criminal offence to prohibit the unauthorised sale of Games tickets in public, in excess of face value or with a view to making a profit, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000)
* Provide for the designation of enforcement officers empowered to enforce the Games advertising, street trading and ticket touting offences, and make it a criminal offence to obstruct them in their duties, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale
* Provide councils with the power to make Games traffic regulation orders
* Provide Scottish Ministers with the power to direct councils to make, vary or revoke any instrument which regulates road use in relation to the Transport Plan for the Games
* Provide councils with the power to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order for land within their area which they believe is required for the Games purposes
* Provide the Scottish Ministers with powers to pay grants and provide other forms of assistance to the Organising Committee of the Games and set conditions on such assistance
* Provide the Scottish Ministers with the power to repeal the Act from the statute book once the Games have ended
Related Information
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/04-GlasgowCommGames/index.htm
