HC Deb 16 March 1989 vol 149 c298W
Dr. Goodson-Wickes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he can provide figures giving the number of arrests made during league football matches for each season from 1979–80 to the present time;

(2) if he will make it his policy in future to ensure that figures for arrests made at football grounds are kept separately for arrests made inside and outside grounds, respectively.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The number of arrests made at Football League matches each season from 1984–85, when the Association of Chief Police Officers first collated these figures, is as follows:

Season Total arrests
1984–85 15,517
1985–86 4,143
1986–87 5,531
1987–88 6,106
1 Includes Divisions 1 and 2 only.

These figures do not distinguish between arrests made inside grounds and those directly connected with matches made outside. Nor are the figures confined to arrests made only during the time a match was being played. Any further sub-division of these figures would be a matter for Association of Chief Police Officers.

Dr. Goodson-Wickes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can provide figures for (a) the number of arrests made at Wimbledon football club as a percentage of the gate and (b) the corresponding average figures for the football league as a whole for each season from 1979–80 to the present time.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The available figures are as follows:

current statutory ban on unreasonable discrimination by television companies against advertisers; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Renton

No.