Ticketing Amendment Stalls In Lords

An amendment to the UK Consumer Rights Bill that would have seen secondary ticket sellers provide more information on what they’re selling appears to have stalled in the House Of Lords.

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Labour) proposed the amendment but ended up withdrawing it, pending further debate.

Based on the findings of the All Party Parliamentary Group’s investigation into the secondary market, Lord Stevenson said resale platforms should be required to disclose the name of the ticket seller, the ticket’s face value and – when applicable – the seat’s location in the venue.

Liberal Democrat Lord Clement-Jones supported Lord Stevenson and said the all-party parliamentary group had stressed the need for an “open and transparent” system for reselling tickets.

The market is reckoned to be worth $1.7 billion annually. However, another Liberal Democrat, Lord Stoneham of Droxford, said he was concerned the proposed amendment could even deter people from using authorized resale sites. He said “markets go up and down” and pointed out that at times sellers have to take less than face value for their tickets.

Having the amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill stall in the Lords is a blow to the politicians who’ve long campaigned to regulate the secondary market. The amendment presented to the Lords Oct. 15 was already a watered-down version of the original amendment presented in the House Of Commons May 13, which was voted down by a vote of 290-225.