The Scottish Government has published the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill which aims to ensure the 2014 Games are a success.

Following Friday's announcement that Glasgow will host the Games, the Scottish Parliament will now consider the Bill, which aims to protect the Games from 'ambush marketing' and ticket touts, while putting powers in place to address matters such as transport and land purchase.

Under terms set out by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Scottish Government gave a commitment that legislation covering these areas would be in place by 2010.

Minister for Communities and Sport Stewart Maxwell said: “The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow and we are getting to work right away to make sure these Games are the greatest sporting event Scotland has ever seen.

“Bringing the Games to Glasgow is great news for Scotland and this Bill is designed to protect the event and to put in place measures to stop activities that could undermine its success.

“This is an exciting time for Scotland - staging the Games gives us the opportunity to showcase one of the world's most dynamic cities and highlight the very best of Scotland.”

The Bill is temporary legislation, which is routinely introduced around large sporting events, including the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London.

Ambush marketing is a major threat to large sporting events like the Commonwealth Games. Businesses pay significant sums of money to become official sponsors of such events, thereby helping to offset overall costs.

The main measures of the Bill will create a new criminal offence prohibiting unauthorised advertising and outdoor trading within the vicinity of the Games venues, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding £20,000 or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment.

It will also create a new criminal offence to prohibit the unauthorised sale of Games tickets in public, in excess of face value or with a view to making a profit, with penalties on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000).

The Bill will also allow the Organising Committee to appoint existing Trading Standards officers to enforce these provisions, with these officers having the powers to seize offending merchandise, cover billboards and signs and, under warrant, search premises where they suspect offences are being committed.

The Bill will also provide councils with the power to make Games traffic regulation orders, and will provide Scottish Ministers with the power to direct councils to make, vary or revoke any instrument which regulates road use in relation to the Transport Plan for the Games.

It will also include measures that give Scottish Ministers powers to pay grants and provide other forms of assistance to the Organising Committee of the Games and set conditions on such assistance.

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