HC Deb 23 February 1993 vol 219 c487W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the chairman of Port Vale football club to discuss consistency and clarity in police charging policy for attending football matches.

Mr. Charles Wardle

My right hon. and learned Friend has not received a request for such a meeting. Charges for policing football matches are a matter for the police authority concerned.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and on what basis police charges were introduced for policing inside football league grounds.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Charging for additional police services is a long-standing principle, authorised by statutes going back at least to the 19th century. It is not known precisely when charging for policing football matches began, although the practice predated the Police Act 1964, section 15 of which provides the current authority for such charges.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the guidelines to ensure consistency and clarity in police charges for policing league football matches.

Mr. Charles Wardle

A guidance circular on the subject was issued to all police authorities and forces in May 1991. That guidance recommended a basis for calculating police costs suggested by the Audit Commission and one of its main aims was to promote the consistency of practice recommended by Lord Justice Taylor.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the cost per spectator of policing football matches for each team in the second division.

Mr. Charles Wardle

I will write to the hon. Member.