HC Deb 01 February 1989 vol 146 cc217-8W
Mr. Pendry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received from Football League clubs regarding arrests made in the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons; and if, in the light of such representations, he will amend his table of arrests and the annex to his letter of 21 December 1988.

Mr. Moynihan

[holding answer 20 January 1989]: I have received letters from three Football League clubs about the arrest figures for the 1987–88 season. One Football League club has written to me about the arrest figures included in the list of incidents of football hooliganism in 1988–89, annexed to my letter of 21 December 1988 to parliamentary colleagues.

Re-examination of the 1987–88 statistics has revealed that the local police made one transcription error in the figures notified to ACPO. The number of arrests at Leicester City football club should be amended from 81 to 31. The revised total of arrests at league matches in the 1987–88 season is 6,097. The correct entry for Leicester City is the table given in my reply of 19 December to a question from the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes), at columns 55–60, is therefore:

Leicester City
Matches 22
Total attendance 223,049
Total arrests 31
Average attendance per match 10,139
Average arrests per match 1.41
Arrests as a proportion of attendance (Per cent.) 0.01

A revised version of the illustrative incidents list was made available on publication of the Football Spectators Bill.