HC Deb 28 October 1988 vol 139 cc449-50W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary as to how many police officers were on duty at the Brandywell soccer ground on each date in September when matches were being played.

Mr. Ian Stewart

I understand that during September there were 58 members of the RUC at the Brandywell soccer ground on each date when matches were played by Derry City FC.

Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary as to how many police officers were on duty at Soccer matches in Northern Ireland on each of the following days—Saturday 3 September, Saturday 10 September, Saturday 17 September and Saturday 24 September; as to how typical these numbers are, and as to how many soccer grounds had a police presence on each of these days.

Mr. Ian Stewart

The information is as follows:

  1. 1. 3 September 1988–33 officers at six soccer grounds.
  2. 2. 10 September 1988–165 officers at seven soccer grounds.
  3. 3. 17 September 1988–175 officers at seven soccer grounds.
  4. 4. 24 September 1988–170 officers at six soccer grounds.

It is not possible to define any soccer match as typical in terms of policing requirements because of the various different factors which are taken into account by the Chief Constable in making his operational decisions.