HC Deb 16 March 1998 vol 308 cc517-9W
Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the UK have been convicted of a football-related offence in the last(a) year, (b) two years and (c) five years; and how many are currently the subject of restriction orders. [34199]

Mr. Michael

There are currently some 30 restriction orders in place, an increase of 20 orders since my right hon. Friend's initiative at Christmas 1997 to encourage police, the courts and prosecutors to seek restriction orders for football-related offences. The figures requested are as follows:

Year Number of convictions for football-related offences1
1992–93 4,588
1993–94 4,227
1994–95 3,840
1995–96 3,437
1996–97 3,577
1The offences concerned are those set out in Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government have taken to reach bilateral agreements with other Governments so that domestic courts can impose restriction orders on those convicted of football offences abroad. [34194]

Mr. Michael

Bilateral agreements are presently in place with Italy, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Sweden. We are presently in consultation with the French and Danish Governments on reaching such an agreement.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to encourage additional countries to ratify and to implement the European Convention on Spectator Violence. [34193]

Mr. Michael

This is a matter for the Council of Europe, which places great store in the contribution the United Kingdom makes to the work of the Standing Committee that oversees the Convention. Forty-seven countries have ratified already. The United Kingdom participates fully in the work of the Standing Committee which oversees implementation of the Convention and, through the Standing Committee, encourages the wide adoption and implementation of the Convention.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British football fans were arrested during the football World Cup finals held in Italy in 1990. [34198]

Mr. Michael

The information available—which is not comprehensive—indicates that there were 240 arrests of England supporters during Italia '90. Of these, 225 were deported and the remaining 15 convicted of offences and given a term of imprisonment of four months, suspended for two years.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to promote the use of restriction orders for those convicted of football-related offences. [34196]

Mr. Michael

Home Office officials wrote to all chief police officers in the run-up to the Christmas 1997 football programme reminding them of the powers available under the Football Spectators Act 1989 and encouraging the use of these powers where applicable. The Lord Chancellor's Department and the Crown Prosecution Service wrote in similar terms to courts and prosecutors respectively.

I am pleased to report that, since that initiative, the number of restriction orders in force has increased from 10 to 30 and we anticipate that this number will increase.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to deny access to football stadiums to those in possession of racist or offensive banners and to prevent their display in stadiums. [34192]

Mr. Michael

Section 23 of the Public Order Act 1986 provides that a person is guilty of an offence if he intends racial hatred to be stirred up or racial hatred is likely to be stirred up by displaying, publishing, distributing or broadcasting written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting. The enforcement of these provisions is an operational matter for the police and the decision to deny access to grounds is a matter for the individual stadium owners and the police.

The Football Task Force is looking into racism in football as a priority and is expected to report shortly.