HC Deb 28 July 1989 vol 157 cc1178-80W
Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he intends giving guidelines to the proposed Football Membership Authority about what would lead to a disqualification from the national membership scheme for football for a supporter, other than a relevant conviction; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what consultations he has had, or proposes to have with police and emergency services concerning whether, under the proposals of the proposed Football Spectators Bill and associated national membership scheme, clubs should be able to open exit gates before the end of a football match; and as to the siting of neutral supporters and if he will make a statement;

(3) what consultations he is having concerning what guidance might be given to football clubs and to the proposed Football Membership Authority as to what constitutes a disabled person under clause 5(2)(c) of the Football Spectators Bill and as to how football clubs should check if a child is under or over the age of 10 years in order to grant exemption from membership under clause 5(2)(c) of the Bill;

(4) what consultations he proposes to undertake concerning by what means the identity of a cardholder, under the proposed national membership scheme for football will be checked against the card on entry to the ground; and if he will make a statement;

(5) what discussions he has had with (i) the football clubs and (ii) any other organisation concerning financial assistance to those who cannot afford the price of a card under the proposed national membership scheme for football; and if he will make a statement;

(6) what guidance he proposes to issue to clubs at the commencement of the proposed national membership scheme for football registration as to what grounds for denial of membership there would be; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

Subject to parliamentary approval of the Football Spectators Bill and the commencement orders for which it provides, it will be for the Football Membership Authority to prepare the national membership scheme required by the Bill. It is the Government's hope that a body set up by the Football Association and the Football League will be appointed as the Football Membership Authority. The football authorities have established a joint working party to prepare the development of the scheme, in consultation with my Department and the police and other bodies as necessary.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on what occasions he met representatives of football supporters before publishing the Football Spectators Bill; and if he will make a statement;

(2) when he proposes to consult the Police Federation and Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the proposed national football membership scheme; if he will also consult the Football Supporters Association; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

The Association of Chief Police Officers was represented on the working party which I chaired last summer on the national membership scheme. I and my officials discussed the scheme with representatives of the Police Federation in December 1988 and February this year and I shall be meeting the chairman of the federation again next week. The Government and the football authorities will continue to consult the police on the development of the scheme.

I met the Football Supporters Association and the National Federation of Football Supporters Clubs twice last year, before the publication of the Bill, and I made it clear to the Standing Committee considering the Bill that I would consider the possibility of involving representatives of the football supporters organisations directly in the running of the Football Membership Authority.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he is conducting concerning the legal structure of the proposed Football Membership Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

I told the Standing Committee considering the Football Spectators Bill that I would consider further the question of the constitution of the Football Membership Authority and would bring forward appropriate amendments to the Bill at its Report stage.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received seeking restriction on the numbers of temporary identity cards issued by football clubs under the proposed national membership scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Moynihan

None.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department undertook which led him to state on 27 JuneOfficial Report, column 848, that the number of clubs likely to be put out of business by the proposed national membership scheme for football will be zero; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moynihan

There is no reason why the national membership scheme should put any football club out of business. Even without commercial exploitation of the scheme, the cost of high technology membership cards to individual supporters need be no more than £3.30 a year at current costs. There are few grounds in the country where spectators would pay less than that to watch one match. Indeed, if football clubs take a positive attitude to the potential of the national membership scheme, it can provide a commercial benefit to both them and their supporters.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department undertook which caused him to reject the advice of the Football League, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Football Association, the Professional Footballers Association and the Football Supporters Association as to the impractical nature of a comprehensive national membership scheme for football.

Mr. Moynihan

[holding answer 27 July 1989]: The Association of Chief Police Officers, the Football League and the Football Association were all members of my working party on the national membership scheme which met last summer. They agreed a number of recommendations on the practical nature of a national membership scheme. I have also discussed the scheme with representatives of the Football Supporters Association, the National Federation of Football Supporters Clubs and the Professional Footballers Association.