Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Homophobia in Football

Tuesday 8 December 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Damian Collins asked about discussions on legislative proposals to strengthen sentencing for homophobia in football.
  • The Minister stated that courts already have powers to aggravate offences based on sexual orientation hostility.
  • The Minister acknowledged the Law Commission's review on addressing homophobic abuse in sports grounds.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Damian Collins Con
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Discussions on strengthening sentencing laws to tackle homophobia in football prompted by existing hate crime laws being complex and spread across different statutes.

Question

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on bringing forward legislative proposals to strengthen sentencing to tackle homophobia in football. All hate crimes, including those motivated by homophobia, are unacceptable but the courts already have powers to treat hostility based on sexual orientation as aggravating factors.

Answer from Alex Chalk

All hate crimes, including where motivated by homophobia, are unacceptable. The courts already have powers to treat hostility based on sexual orientation as a factor that aggravates the seriousness of an offence. However, hate crime laws in England and Wales are complex and spread across different statutes, hence the Government committed to carry out a comprehensive review of hate crime legislation which is currently under way.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details on discussions with Cabinet colleagues or legislative proposals for sentencing enhancement.

How: Under Review

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Q2 Damian Collins Con
Crime & Law Enforcement Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Football (Offences) Act 1991 defines racialist abuse but not homophobic abuse, leading to unclear powers for match day stewards and officials in dealing with such incidents.

Question

Grateful for the Minister's answer on the review being done by the Law Commission looking specifically at homophobic abuse in sports grounds. The Football (Offences) Act 1991 defines racialist abuse but not homophobic abuse, which causes confusion among match day stewards and officials regarding their powers.

Answer from Alex Chalk

Thanked the hon. Friend for his work on this issue which has been noted and appreciated. The Law Commission's review question 57 addresses precisely this issue, hoping it progresses. Homophobia still exists despite advancements in racism, although women's football shows better handling of homophobia.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details on the unclear powers of match day stewards and officials or legislative actions to address them.

How: Under Review

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