§ Mr. FavellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the weekly attendances at football grounds; how many arrests have taken place in football grounds over the last 12 months; and how many complaints about the proposed membership scheme for those attending football grounds he has received over the last five months.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer, 23 May 1989]: The Football League estimates that the weekly attendance at Football League matches is of the order of 450,000.
The Association of Chief Police Officers collate the figures for the total number of arrests at Football League matches after the end of each season. Figures for 1988–89 are not yet available but in the first two months of the season there were over 1,700 arrests. The total for 1987–88 was 6,106.
I have received 2,673 representations against the proposed national membership scheme for football supporters since 1 January.