§ Mr. Denis Howell (Birmingham, Small Heath)I beg to ask leave to present a petition signed by 12,844 supporters of Aston Villa football club and the Football Supporters Association protesting against the proposed plan to introduce identity cards for football supporters. Mr. Speaker, this is the first of 92 such petitions that will be presented to you—one for every Football League club in the land. The petition reads:
we condemn the proposed legislation to force football supporters to carry identification cards, and we believe that a system of identity cards will have little impact on the problem of football-related violence, will hinder football's attempt to attract a new generation of supporters and will lead to the eventual demise of the game as a spectator sport. And your Petitioners pray that your honourable House will urge the Government to bring forward proposals which have the support of genuine football supporters. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.