8 January 2002
8 January 2002
Q1 Alison Halford:
What discussions has the First Minister had with the Home Secretary over the ‘Policing a New Century’ White Paper? (OAQ14859) I wish everybody a happy New Year.The First Minister (Rhodri Morgan): I have not discussed ‘Policing a New Century: A Blueprint for Reform’, with the Home Secretary. However, the Home Office consulted Assembly officials on the drafting of the paper, which concentrates on slimming down bureaucracy and reassigning tasks to free-up police officers to do their real and necessary jobs. This follows a recent independent study, ‘Diary of a Police Officer’, which found that officers were spending more time in the station, 43 per cent, than on the streets, 41 per cent.Alison Halford: To speak from experience, things do not change. However, in light of your discussions, what lessons are to be drawn from the events surrounding last week’s football match between Cardiff City and Leeds United, which is a police matter?The First Minister: There are many lessons to be learnt from Sunday’s events. The actions of a mindless few not only ruined a superb sporting victory by the 12 players who represented Cardiff City on that day, but caused lasting damage to Wales’s good image, which may take some months to overcome. I am glad to see that Sam Hammam, the club’s chairman, has also spoken out against those people. I quote his words, which I commend strongly:‘People were throwing objects onto the pitch and that is what I really hate. People who do this are the real enemy. If we catch those people who threw things onto the pitch on Sunday, we will ban them from Ninian Park for life.’I strongly commend those sentiments. However outstanding the job of South Wales Police in keeping rival fans apart, minimising the number of arrests and preventing harm to Leeds United fans, self-restraint by supporters is required. They must concentrate on the football and not on causing damage by throwing bottles at opposition players or referees. Those individuals ruined a great sporting occasion for Wales.