§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what he attributes the rises in attendance at football matches over the last three seasons.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 27 July 1989]: A number of measures to counter football hooliganism have been taken over the past few years as a result of Government and public pressure. These include stronger police co-ordination both nationally and internationally, more co-operation between the police and football clubs, effective segregation of rival groups of supporters inside grounds and the introduction of closed-circuit television. The Government have also legislated to restrict the sale of alcohol at football grounds and to empower the courts to impose exclusion orders on convicted hooligans.
These measures have clearly contributed to the small rise in attendances at football matches over the last three seasons.
The further anti-hooliganism measures proposed by the Football Spectators Bill offer the prospect of attracting back to football many more of the millions of spectators who have been deterred from attending matches since the 1960s.