§ Mr. Lawlerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the recent trends in the incidents of football hooliganism; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdThe Association of Chief Police Officers for England and Wales has now collected figures which show that the numbers of arrests at Football League Division 1 games fell from 3,752 in the 1984–85 season to 2,005 in 1985–86, and at Division 2 games from 1,765 in 1984–85 to 1,086 in 1985–86. This represents a general reduction of 44 per cent., and is a clear and welcome indication of the progress which has been made in combating football hooliganism.
The package of measures agreed between the Government and the football authorities, the unremitting efforts of the police and the co-operation of clubs have helped to bring about this improvement. The new controls 565W on alcohol and the use of closed circuit television have made an important contribution. The Government remain determined to achieve further progress next season, in partnership with the football authorities, through agreed measures, including, for example, the wider adoption of membership card schemes and the use of exclusion orders.