TEST MATCH CRICKET AND FREE-TO-AIR TELEVISION COVERAGE

Early day motion 2147, tabled 11 May 2006 by John Grogan (Labour). Signed by 115 members.

That this House regrets the fact that not a single over of this summer's cricket test matches between England and Pakistan and England and Sri Lanka will be live on free-to-air television; supports the conclusion of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee `that a more proactive approach should have been taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to maximise broadcasting revenue while ensuring some cricket remained on terrestrial television'; notes the fact that the Government has said it would be willing to convene a meeting between the broadcasters and the ECB to discuss the sharing of live coverage if there were a possibility of a deal being struck; calls upon BSkyB to agree to share with a free-to-air broadcaster live coverage of the climax of this summer's test matches involving Pakistan, defined as play from Saturday onwards; urges the Government to support the `Keep Cricket Free' campaign proposals to partially re-list home test matches as one of the Crown Jewels of sport so that the main test series of the summer is made available to free-to-air broadcasters at `a fair and reasonable price'; and further urges BSkyB as a gesture of goodwill to negotiate a highlights deal with a free-to-air broadcaster for next winter's Ashes series in Australia.

Signatures by party: Labour 71, Liberal Democrat 30, Conservative 12, DUP 2.