Violent Crime Reduction Bill

Clearly, the noble Baroness understands the legislation very well, which is good, but I want to make it clear that it applies only to football matches. We need not therefore concern ourselves with other events. Obviously terms and conditions apply because those are the conditions under which tickets are sold, but this addition to the legislation is designed to catch a scam. The police apply the law on a targeted basis and they understand the need to do that better than most. The noble Lord, Lord Lyell, is right to say that Berwick is in England and that English law will apply. As regards hooliganism in Scotland, because our legislation has been so effective, the Scottish authorities intend to consider incorporating the approach we have adopted into their own law. Its success to date has attracted interest far beyond our own boundaries. Although it tempts fate to say so, the legislation has stood the test of time pretty well. Looking at the statistics on hooliganism and the way in which the law has been applied more generally, we can say that we have had a fair degree of success.