SIS WELCOMES PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS ON MEDIA RIGHTS BATTLE

03 May 2001 - SIS has "warmly welcomed" three Questions tabled in Parliament today dealing with threats to deprive racecourses of Levy money if they sign media rights agreements not agreed by the BHB.

Welcoming the development, SIS Chief Executive David Holdgate said " It's excellent news that Parliament is taking an interest. The decisions which racecourses are now making will be vital to the future of racing. But the issues are being clouded by rumour, implied threats and straightforward confusion. Nothing in the GG-Media offer prevents a Levy replacement being negotiated. Just as important, courses should be reassured that payments made under the Levy cannot be potentially withheld as some sort of 'punishment' if they choose to take up the GG-Media offer."

Jim Paice MP, the former Minister who piloted Sunday Racing through the Commons, and who has part of Newmarket in his constituency, asked two questions of Home Secretary Jack Straw investigating rumours of threats to smaller tracks to withdraw levy payments if they signed the GG-Media deal. He also asked Straw to confirm that any Levy replacement had to have the agreement of both racing and betting.

Mr Holdgate went on to reiterate the SIS stance:
"There will be a Levy replacement. This has to be negotiated between the betting and racing industries, and it will have to benefit the sport as a whole. There is no place for threats in any discussion about media rights and any form of Levy replacement."

The Parliamentary Questions, in the Order Book for answer on 9 May are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received regarding threats to deprive horserace tracks of payments made from Horserace Betting Levy Board money if such tracks sign media rights agreements not agreed by the British Horseracing Board?

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if payments to horserace tracks from the Horserace Betting Levy Board money can be withdrawn other than by breach of the conditions of those payments?

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if it is his policy that the Horserace Betting Levy Board will not be abolished until alternative funding arrangements are agreed by both the racing industry and the betting industry?

- ends -