All Party Football Group

About the Group

All Party Parliamentary Groups

All Party Parliamentary Groups(APPGs) are a longstanding tradition in the British Parliament at Westminster. Their membership is made up from parties across the political spectrum from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Like select committees, they must have membership from all the main political parties and are able to use parliamentary facilities. They enable MPs (Members of the House of Commons) and Peers (Members of the House of Lords) to meet and co-ordinate parliamentary activities on specialised subjects. Unlike select committees, they are voluntary and receive no parliamentary funding.

The All Party Football Group

The APPG on Football is one of the largest groups to be founded. Initially registered by Rt Hon Lord Pendry who Chair, Alan Keen MP chaired the earliest days of the group until the former MP for Bassetlaw, Joe Ashton steered the group before stepping down from Parliament in 2001.

Following the 2001 general election, Alan Keen MP (Feltham and Heston) was elected as group chair at the All Party Football Group AGM the same year.

Officers

There are 4 vice-chairs and from across the political spectrum representing both the Commons and Lords - Joan Walley MP(Lab), John Greenway MP(Con) and Bob Russell MP (Lib Dem). The groups Treasurer is Clive Betts MP and Christine Russell MP is the APFG Secretary. Lord Faulkner of Worcester is the House of Lords vice-chair.

The group aims to raise parliamentary awareness on football policy at both professional and grass roots levels; provide a forum for facilitating negotiations between key stakeholders in the football industry and parliamentarians and debate the key issues of the day.

Objectives:

To increase the profile of the football industry and to identify, and raise awareness, of current issues affecting the game.
To provide parliamentary backing and/or scrutiny of the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Minister for Sport in any negotiations on football related issues.
To keep under review policies, funding and development programmes both in the UK and abroad and the effect these have on professional clubs and grass roots football.
Assess how the country might respond to changes in the football climate and to press for action by Parliament and the Government.
To use its 150 members, with the assistance of Policy Advisers and a Secretariat provided by the Football Foundation, to provide a discussion forum for MPs and Peers on football issues.

Activities include:

Regular meetings in Parliament with guest speakers from the football industry, from both the UK and overseas.
Co-ordinated written and oral parliamentary questions and debates on football issues.
Table Early Day Motions(EDM) when appropriate.
Organise private meetings between group members and government ministers/officials.
Facilitate study tours for Members to clubs, training grounds and educational institutions to improve understanding of the needs of the football industry and its role in the community.
Encourage the establishment of and maintain contact with similar Parliamentary Groups in Westminster and abroad.
Hold consultations and briefings with the DCMS and other bodies.
Organise and host events in the UK.
Attend and participate in national and international events.
Initiate and participate in parliamentary debates encouraging increased funding for the development of grass roots football.
Provide up-to-date briefing on football and related issues for Group members and the wider parliamentarian audience.

Outputs:

A direct and influential route to government ministers and officials.
A number of well-informed advocates on football and related issues within parliament.
The maintenance of cross-party and cross-chamber consensus on football issues.
A forum for the football industry to be heard in Parliament and government.
The ability to assist the political agenda of the football sector in Westminster.
The exchange of views and information between members and international colleagues through inter-parliamentary associations.
A series of inquiry reports on different aspects of the football industry.

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Alan Keen MP Chair of APFG, House of Commons, London, SW1A OAA. Email @ Info

Vice Chairs - Joan Walley MP, John Greenway MP, Lord Faulkner of Worcester and Bob Russell MP
Secretary - Christine Russell MP • Treasurer - Clive Betts MP