HC Deb 09 July 1980 vol 988 cc549-51 3.33 pm
Mr. John Farr (Harborough)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable United Kingdom citizens who are engaged in civil disturbances overseas to be subject to prosecution for those offences in the United Kingdom. If a Bill can be sparked off, this Bill has been sparked off by my determination to take action following the crowd scenes at the recent soccer match between England and Belgium in Turin, Italy. The result of the match has probably been forgotten. If it has not been forgotten, it will be forgotten tomorrow. The crowd scenes have left a vivid impression on the minds of those who saw the match, which will not be erased in a hurry. That applies especially to the estimated 70 million television audience. Crowd scenes showed in detail and in close-up the mindless and savage behaviour of a tiny minority of English supporters.

I wish to emphasise that those responsible were a tiny minority of the English supporters who travelled to Italy. The hard core of trouble makers consisted of less than 1 per cent. of those who were in Italy at that time for the football tournament, but so great was the impact that they made on the media that the other 99 per cent. were tarred with the same brush. The Prime Minister, who was in Florence at that time, felt prevailed upon to make a public apology, on television, to her hosts.

I have received a great many letters, nearly all in support of the Bill. I have received letters from English supporters who went to Italy to watch the matches but who were so frightened that they stayed in their hotels and watched them on television. The effect of the crowd scenes on some of the England performances, notably that against Belgium in Turin, was obvious for all to see.

My Bill was sparked off by that occasion only, but over the years there has been a growing tendency among a tiny hoodlum minority of supporters of some British soccer clubs to link the performance of their club overseas with a display of bad manners and bad sportsmanship. To the deep embarrassment of the clubs that they support, those incidents are covered in detail by the media and magnified out of all proportion. I am afraid that the House is, woefully, all too aware of the many cases of trouble with fans at home. That causes concern to us all. It is not an export that we can afford.

In 1980 alone there have been several instances. For example,The Timesreported on 12 June that in Turin: Four football fans were taken to hospital after a street battle between about 200 English and Italian supporters ". On 22 March,The Timesreported: Sixteen Glasgow Celtic football supporters have been sent to jail ". That was on the occasion of a European Cup match against Real Madrid, in Madrid. A third incident, from a host of incidents that I have on record, was reported in The Times on 15 May: More than 20 Arsenal fans, in Brussels for their team's European Cup Winners Cup Final match tonight, were arrested after a series of of incidents". They were sent to gaol and missed the match.

Some countries, such as Luxembourg, sparked off not by events this year but by events of previous years, have stated publicly that never again do they hope to have the chance to entertain British soccer teams in their countries.

The purposes of the Bill are twofold. In clause 1 I seek to give power to the courts in Britain to adjudicate on law and order offences committed overseas in this connection. That power does not exist, except in a narrow area of British vessels, aircraft and possessions overseas, which is not applicable. In clause 2 I seek to give power to the courts in Britain to suspend an offender's passport for a term of up to three years. It has been pointed out to me that passport control is not operated in some EEC countries, but in normal cases, before one leaves Heathrow or wherever, one has to produce one's passport at the emigration desk and display it to the British authorities.

I conclude by saying how fortunate and honoured I am in the sponsors who have joined me in putting the Bill forward. I have been fortunate enough to gain the support of people of great expertise and knowledge in this area from both sides of the House, not the least of whom is Mr. Jack Dunnett, the chairman of Notts County, Mr. Tom Bradley—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman must refer to hon. Members by their constituencies.

Mr. Farr

I accept your ruling, Mr. Speaker. In my enthusiasm for my colleagues on both sides of the House who have supported my Bill, I was grossly out of order. When I have the opportunity to read out the list of sponsors it will be apparent how universal is the support for the Bill, on both sides of the House, among hon. Members and colleagues who know a great deal about the matter.

Question put and agreed to

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. John Farr, Mr. Robert Atkins, Mr. Tom Bradley, Mr. Jack Dunnett, Mr. Peter Fry, Mr. James Hill, Mr. Walter Johnson and Mr. Nicholas Scott.