HC Deb 22 July 1985 vol 83 c765

Lords amendment: No. 10, in page 8, leave out lines 10 to 12 and insert— (a) in section 68(1), after paragraph (b) there shall be inserted (c) a sporting event, or a class of sporting event, taking place outside Great Britain:";

Mr. Shaw

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

The amendment corrects a drafting defect in relation to the Scottish legislation—the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980. As presently drafted, it gives the impression that the Secretary' of State would designate grounds outside Great Britain, whereas all that is required is that events, or classes of event, should be designated. The amendment now makes that clear.

Mr. Beith

It is ironic that the last Lords amendment that we should consider brings us back to the basis on which the Bill was introduced—an event that took place outside Great Britain at a sportsground that is incapable of being designated, even under the amendment. Useful though the provisions will be in controlling alcohol in football grounds. I believe that they leave unanswered many of the problems of football hooliganism, including some of those that may have contributed to the original cause of the Bill. Those problems will require the continued attention of Ministers.

Mr. Shaw

I remind the hon. Gentleman that it was not purely the event that occurred in Brussels that gave rise to the legislation, although it was the last straw. I am sure that he recognises that the problem of violence in football grounds has been steadily getting worse in recent years, culminating in major events during the last season here in the United Kingdom.

Question put and agreed to.