Proposals for a voluntary ban on ticket touting at big sporting and music events, announced by the government yesterday, met with a sceptical industry reaction.

Andy Burnham, the culture secretary, confirmed that statutory regulation of the burgeoning market in online secondary ticket sales remained a "last resort". But he said the government would "push for a voluntary agreement that tickets for certain 'crown jewels' events will not be sold on the secondary market". Ministers also urged the industry to draw up a new voluntary code of conduct.