HC Deb 01 March 1973 vol 851 cc1842-4

10.24 p.m.

Mr. Ernie Money (Ipswich)

I welcome the opportunity that the peculiar and interesting procedures of the House afford me to raise in the two and a half minutes available to me matters which are of deep concern to large numbers of people in the country who support association football. I am deeply grateful for the presence of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for the Home Department to answer three questions on the subject.

It has been widely routed about, and is now generally accepted, that the Home Office intends in the foreseeable future to take some legislative steps to implement the report of the Committee presided over by Lord Wheatley on crowd safety at sports grounds. It is also a matter of considerable concern to a large number of football clubs that this is something which is liable to place considerable financial burdens on those clubs which can probably least afford to pay for the improvements which are called for in the circumstances.

I hope, therefore, that my hon. Friend can give us some sort of hope in this regard and that he will make recommendations to his right hon. and hon. Friends at the Treasury that the time is now coming when something must be done about the totally inequitable tax system by which it is possible for clubs to buy players before paying tax and then have to pay tax on any money which will lead to ground improvements.

I know that my hon. Friend cannot say more now, because we are in the pre-Budget period, but I hope that he will make recommendations to our right hon. and hon. Friends on that matter.

Secondly, I hope that an assurance will be given that the maximum consultation will take place with the clubs. I speak not so much as representing a borough which has a distinguished—a very distinguished—first division football club, but also for the clubs in the three other divisions which are deeply concerned that the weight of the burden which is likely to be placed on them will be such that the cost of implementing Wheatley could put many of the smaller clubs totally out of business. At the same time, I hope that my hon. Friend will speak to his right hon. and hon. Friends at the Department of the Environment with the hope that the Sports Council will encourage the setting up of sports complexes, which will mean the maximum utilisation of grounds with full support from the Government.

Above all, I hope that the Government will consider the chance of giving some sort of effective formula to clubs so that all the problems with which we are concerned, particularly that of crowd safety and hooliganism at football matches, can be coped with in the most effective way, thus making sure that everyone feels that he can go safely and comfortably to watch football.

10.27 p.m.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Lane)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Money) for the reasonable way in which he has raised this matter, giving us the chance of two or three minutes on this very important subject following the debate in another place on 24th January.

I echo the thanks that were expressed to Lord Wheatley in May last year, when his report was published, for the very efficient and skilful job he did, for which the whole House is grateful.

I now answer my hon. Friend's three questions. First, as he knows, we have accepted the report in principle and are preparing to legislate as soon as possible.

Secondly, my hon. Friend raised the question of finance. All I can say about this now is that the Government are very much aware of the anxieties about finance throughout the football world. In the context of legislation to implement the Wheatley proposals, we are considering this problem very carefully. We have reached no decisions. On the point about tax, I shall see that what my hon. Friend has said is drawn to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

My hon. Friend's third question was about consultation. We are already engaged in consultation. We want to carry it further. Up to now it has centred a good deal on the technical appendix of the Wheatley Report and it is on that that we are most anxious to get agreement, with the widest possible consultations in the time available.

I take entirely my hon. Friend's point about some of the worries caused particularly to the smaller clubs. I assure him that within these consultations we are also involving my colleagues at the Department of the Environment.

I conclude with this additional assurance. We have got these consultations off to a good start. I cannot forecast tonight when legislation will be introduced, but we attach the very highest importance, from the point of view of public safety, to implementing these recommendations as quickly as possible. We must avoid another Ibrox. In that connection I appeal tonight to everyone concerned, during this interim period before legislation, to realise that we must not relax or abandon the present arrangements which are in force. I am sure that all clubs will co-operate to make—

The Question having been proposed at Ten o'clock and the debate having continued for half an hour, Mr. SPEAKER adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned at half-past Ten o'clock.