I would like to notify the House that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has obtained approval for an advance from the Contingencies Fund of £3,470,000. The Independent Football Regulator is being set up in parallel to the passage of the Football Governance Bill to help ensure that the regulatory regime is delivered as quickly as possible once the IFR is established in law. We have identified the need for targeted spend on delivery activity prior to Royal Assent of the Football Governance Bill.

Parliamentary approval for additional £1,920,000 Capital and £1,550,000 Resource for this new service has been sought in a Main Estimate for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £3,470,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.