Select committee: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Recommendation 7

First Report - Safety at major sporting events Published 29 Dec 2023 Paragraph 40 Addressed to Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that the Government work with police and sporting bodies to introduce on a centralised system to report and record discrimination and antisocial behaviour at sporting events.

From: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, First Report - Safety at major sporting events (HC 174), paragraph 40, 29 December 2023

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 8 March 2024 (deadline 29 February 2024).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government welcomes the Committee's report and says it will, "where appropriate", take concrete steps on many of its suggestions, while noting existing measures and in places pointing to the limits of what it can change.

  • On police costs for Zone Ex, the government "understands" that forces cannot recover full costs, and says a return to pre-Ipswich levels "would require changes to primary legislation".
  • On alcohol controls, it will "continue to keep alcohol controls under review" with the UKFPU, SGSA and The FA, and does not give a timing for a review of the 1985 Act.
  • On stewarding, it "welcome[s]" the Committee's emphasis on training and "agree[s]" it is crucial. The Premier League and English Football League have agreed to fund a reform package of c. £1.5 million over three years.
  • On Safety Advisory Groups, it points to existing guidance and says the absence of legislation allows flexibility, which it "believes" strikes a balance. It does not commit to updating the 1975 Act.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error