§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken following the recommendations of the report by Lord Justice Popplewell on crowd safety and control at sports grounds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenThe proposals to give effect to the safety recommendations of the final report of the Popplewell inquiry were set out in a Home Office-Scottish Office consultative document published in June 1986.
In addition to revision of the guide to safety at sports grounds, designation under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 was extended in 1986 to sports grounds used for association football, rugby, or cricket and identified as having accommodation for over 10,000 spectators.
Parts II and III of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 amended the 1975 Act and introduced a system of safety certification for stands at undesignated sports grounds able to accommodate at least 500 spectators 267W under cover with effect from 1 January 1988 and 1 January 1989 respectively. As from 1 June 1988, part IV of the 1987 Act extended entertainment licensing to indoor sports entertainments to which the public are invited as spectators.
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which came into force on 1 January 1986, had already extended the police powers of search and arrest in ways that help them to deal with troublemakers at football grounds. The Public Order Act 1986 created a new offence of disorderly conduct to cover hooliganism in football grounds elsewhere.
§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the report by Lord Justice Taylor on crowd control and safety at sports stadia to be complete.
§ Mr. John PattenThe timing of the final report by the inquiry is a matter for Lord Justice Taylor. I understand that he hopes to complete his report in January 1990.