Football Matches (Arrests) (Hansard, 24 February 1982)

6. Mr. Ron Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were arrested at football matches during 1981.

§ Mr. Rifkind
Information on the total number of people arrested at football matches is not collected by my Department.

Mr. Brown
The lack of statistics probably explains a lot about the Government. Does the Minister accept that many of those arrested at football matches have religious differences and, regrettably, attend specifically not to watch football? I am thinking particularly of Rangers and Celtic supporters. Is it not a disgrace that the Rangers football club employs no Catholics either in the club or in its playing team? Is it not about time that that was made illegal? Is it not time that the Government said something about it? It is discrimination—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman can question the Minister only about those matters for which he is responsible.

§ Mr. Maxton
The Government introduced legislation on drink at football grounds. Does the Minister agree that the Government could more responsibly monitor the working of that legislation by keeping statistics on the number of football fans arrested at football matches?

§ Mr. Rifkind
Perhaps I can give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that he is seeking. We do not have information about the number who have been arrested, which covers a whole series of different circumstances, but we do have information about the number of new offences under the Criminal Justice Act. There were 231 offences for being drunk in, or attempting to enter, designated sports grounds; 12 offences for possessing alcohol travelling to or from a sporting event; and 186 offences for the possession of controlled containers or alcohol when attempting to enter designated sports grounds. Those statistics are collected and are essential for the monitoring exercise.

Mr. Brown
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I refer you to my earlier question about the policy of Rangers football club indiscrimination against Catholics. May I ask you to whom I should address a question about discrimination? Should I address it to the Home Secretary, the Prime Minister, the Secretary-General of the United Nations or perhaps to God? To whom do I address it?

§ Mr. Speaker
If I may make a constructive suggestion to the hon. Gentleman—I am trying to be helpful—I advise him to go to the Rangers football club. There is no answer here to the problem. We are not responsible for what either Rangers or Celtic—I want to be impartial—does.