By David Owen Source: www.insidethegames.biz
The timing of the measure is likely to hinge on whether England succeeds in winning the right to stage the 2018 World Cup at next month's all-important vote in Zurich.
If it does, then Hugh Robertson, the UK's well-regarded Sports Minister, indicated to insidethegames that the process would have to begin "straight away".
But even if the World Cup bid fails, Robertson suggested there was 'outline' approval for a bill to be put to Parliament at some point.
The idea behind the measure is to give domestic federations what Robertson terms a "proper calling-card" when they approach their international counterparts to bid for world-class events.
Such events are becoming increasingly professional and, hence, place increasingly onerous and complex demands on the nations hosting them.
Winning a bid frequently requires the passage of new legislation as a matter of urgency.
The drafting of a new, generic sports events Act - covering issues such as visas, ticket touting, image/trademark protection and advertising - could, it is felt, act as a template for any event, leaving specific details to be addressed via a statutory instrument.
The one area that, insidethegames understands, could not be dealt with through such an approach would be tax concessions, which would still need to be incorporated into a Finance Bill.
Robertson indicated that the new Act would be aimed at future events that the UK has yet to be awarded, rather than competitions such as the 2015 Rugby World Cup won by England last year.
UK Athletics recently withdrew its bid to host the 2015 World Athletics Championships, hoping instead to bid for the 2017 event.
It is thought the proposed Act would be an asset should that 2017 bid in due course materialise.