Safety of Sports Grounds (Northern Ireland) Order 2005

rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 21 November be approved. The noble Lord said: My Lords, the main purpose of the draft order is to introduce a safety certification scheme for sports grounds in Northern Ireland. It will improve the safety of spectators at sports grounds. In Northern Ireland, unlike in Great Britain, there are no arrangements requiring owners, occupiers or managers of outdoor sports grounds actively to consider the safety of spectators. District councils and the Health and Safety Agency for Northern Ireland have found it difficult to enforce existing legislation on spectator safety as it primarily relates to employers and/or employees. One of the difficulties they have sometimes encountered has been the identification of the employer. Many noble Lords will be aware that, in Great Britain, existing legislation such as the Safety of Sports Ground Act 1975 and the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987, which followed the disastrous Bradford fire, were acted upon and enforced by local authorities under the leadership and guidance of the Football Licensing Authority, which was established by the Football Spectators Act 1989. However, Northern Ireland was not included in that legislation. Today, by bringing the draft order before the House, we will be introducing new safety standards for spectators at all sports grounds, not just Association Football, and bringing Northern Ireland into line with legislation already on the statute book for the rest of Great Britain. The aim of the legislation is to introduce a safety certification scheme for grounds with a capacity of more than 5,000 spectators and for spectator stands with a capacity of more than 500. It is estimated that about 26 sports grounds and 15 spectator stands will require certificates. I delineate between the two. For example, race courses and the motor racing circuit would not of themselves as a ground be liable for certification, because they are vast wide-open spaces. However, a spectator stand of more than 500 would be covered. The order, if approved, will give district councils the authority to issue safety certificates, enforce the terms and conditions of those certificates and ensure that owners, occupiers or managers are responsible for the safety of their organisation. An overseeing body will be established to provide advice and guidance. Consultation on the draft order confirmed general support for these proposals, including support from district councils. Subject to the order being approved by the House, it will go to the Privy Council early next year. It will come into force 12 months after it is approved, but some of the provisions will come into force straight away, one of which is the ability of local authorities to issue a prohibition notice on what they would consider unsafe grounds. There is a year to get the house in order, but if there is something really serious the local authorities will get that order straight away on the grounds of public safety. So I commend the order to your Lordships’ House as an opportunity to improve the safety of spectators while visiting the many sports grounds throughout Northern Ireland. I beg to move. Moved, That the draft order laid before the House on 21 November be approved.—(Lord Rooker.)