§ 36. Mr. Aitkenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has new proposals to prevent further outbreaks of hooliganism by British football supporters.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneSince 1979 the Government have introduced a number of measures, with the football authorities, to counter violence associated with football both at home and abroad. These measures include the strengthening of magistrates' powers through the Criminal Justice Act 1981; the introduction of new custodial powers to deal with young offenders; an increase, to 120, in the number of attendance centres to which young offenders can be sent; and the liaison group which I set up for the 1982 World Cup and subsequently reconvened and which comprises representatives of my Department, the Home Office, the Football Association, the British Transport Police, the Association of Chief Police Officers, and British Rail. The liaison group meets regularly to discuss overall policy and pre-match planning for particular matches; it issued a "blue-print" to all clubs in August 1983, setting out mandatory measures to be taken to prevent incidents of hooliganism and prior to that, in February 1983, I wrote to all 92 league clubs urging them to reassess their procedures and precautions. In November 1983 a recommendation, which I initiated, setting out measures for preventing and containing hooliganism at football matches was agreed by European Ministers with responsibility for sport — amongst other things this recommendation requires the tight control of ticket sales, to ensure effective segregation of both teams' supporters, and extensive liaison between all concerned to cover such issues as the travel arrangements of the supporters and adequate provision of police in and around the stadia.
All these measures require the fullest possible co-operation between the many organisations concerned. If that is achieved the scope for disruptive behaviour should be severely curtailed.
Nevertheless, I shall continue to monitor the effectiveness of the measures we have introduced so far and to consider the introduction of further practical precautions which are not incompatible with the rights and freedoms traditionally enjoyed by the British people.