§ Lord Macaulay of Bragarasked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) what is the legal relationship between the police and club stewards at football matches in Scotland; (b) what powers, and, if necessary, what 73WA powers of arrest of offenders, are presumed to be given to club stewards without police assistance; and (c) what information is made available to football clubs in respect of criminal convictions of any stewards on duty in club grounds.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (Lord Strathclyde)The Safety Certificate for each club issued by the regional council under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 requires clubs to supply stewards who are fit and proper persons able to perform duties to the satisfaction of the police. TheGuide to Safety At Sports Grounds (the Green Guide) recommends that the duties and responsibilities of stewards should form part of any written understanding or statement of intent agreed between a club and the police. As employees of a club, stewards may eject spectators from the ground and they have common law powers of arrest similar to any citizen, although in practice it is normally the police who would make any arrests which are necessary. There is no information provided centrally to the clubs in respect of any convictions which stewards employed by them might have.