Violent Crime Reduction Bill

My Lords, I, too, rise briefly to support my noble friend and to apologise to him for missing the opening sentences of his speech. I was at another meeting elsewhere in the building. This is clearly an unsatisfactory situation that has come about largely by accident. If an amendment like this one were to be drafted and incorporated into the Bill at a later stage, it would not lead in any sense to a diminution of safety standards at our major stadiums. At this point I should declare an interest as vice-chairman of the Cardiff Millennium Stadium. We certainly would not even contemplate using an amendment to the Private Security Industry Act 2001 as an excuse for reducing our stewarding and safety precautions at the stadium. The same goes for the Warrington rugby league club and, indeed, for all football clubs covered by the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. What we are talking about is a large number of voluntary sports organisations who will find themselves bearing a financial burden which it was never intended should be placed on them. I hope very much that, when he replies, my noble friend is able to give us some comfort by saying that the Government are aware of this and intend to do something about it at a later stage of the Bill.