Hansard

I understand that alcohol can fuel sectarianism and cause difficulties, but alcohol is also sometimes used as an alibi. As with other forms of violence, people say that the drink caused their behaviour, but no, whatever was in them caused their behaviour and perhaps they were just liberated by alcohol. The deeper issue needs to be challenged.

On sectarian singing, we must all take responsibility for our actions and challenge those who peddle hatred and intolerance. We welcome the recent statements from Celtic and Rangers requesting their supporters to refrain from chanting such songs. We commend those fans who have made it their responsibility to police themselves.

Clubs need to recognise that sectarian behaviour brings them into disrepute. They need to take action against such behaviour. In particular, clubs should take a much stronger line on banning abusive individuals and should work with the police to ensure that those who cause trouble outside grounds are also banned from attending matches and any social events that are associated with the club. In addition, clubs should work with supporters groups to ensure that those who behave in a sectarian way also have their supporters club membership revoked. Clubs should be ready to take whatever action they can against supporters groups that fail to address the sectarian element in their membership.

I welcome the old firm's on-going approach to tackling the problem by working with fans, stewards and the police to help to eradicate sectarian behaviour from football matches. However, as has already been alluded to, sectarianism is not confined to Rangers and Celtic. A number of football clubs in Scotland have recognised that they have a hard-core sectarian element in their fan base.

Sectarianism is a problem not just in sport but in many different areas of Scottish life, and our work to tackle sectarianism reflects that. I welcome the establishment of the new body called Football for All, which will deliver a focused anti-sectarianism awareness campaign early in the new football season. The initiative will send out a strong message to the people of Scotland that the ending of vile sectarian singing and chanting at football matches has an important part to play in eradicating sectarianism from Scottish society.

We have introduced powerful new laws. Measures have been introduced under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 to deal with religiously aggravated crimes. We also introduced football banning orders in September 2006. They are a particularly powerful tool, as they allow the police and the courts to take action to ensure that anyone who indulges in abusive, violent or bigoted behaviour can be banned for up to 10 years from attending matches in Scotland, the rest of the United Kingdom and overseas. In addition, banning orders can also exclude such individuals from going to town centres, railway stations and bars on match days.

Working in partnership with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, we have already delivered the first phase of the straight red football banning orders awareness campaign. The campaign, which was very successful, made it clear that we are getting tough on the abusive bigots who bring our national sport into disrepute and that there will be no second chances for those who indulge in such mindless behaviour. I am pleased to announce—I am sure that Alasdair Morrison will welcome this—that a further £30,000 is being provided to run a second phase of the campaign to drive the message home. The message is loud and clear: abusive or violent behaviour will not be tolerated in Scottish football.

We have amended the laws on marches and parades and we have issued guidance to Scottish local authorities on how the new procedures will be expected to work when they come into force from 1 April. Last May, we joined march organisers—the Orange order, Cairde na hÉireann and the Scottish Trades Union Congress—local authorities and police forces to sign a joint statement pledging to unite to tackle abusive behaviour at marches and parades.

We know that churches and faith groups have also taken forward anti-sectarian work independently by developing a charter on the principles of religious freedom, which provides a strong anti-sectarian message. We are working with the broader voluntary sector to bring together those organisations that are involved in tackling sectarianism.

We have made huge strides, but the Government does not have all the answers. That is evident on this issue as on many others. We need to work with those who have shown themselves to be willing to make a commitment to real change.

We believe that the tide of public opinion is turning against the bigots. People who would in the past have put up with sectarianism or joked about it in their communities are starting to speak out. That broad partnership approach is the right way to tackle sectarianism.

We should all be proud of the way in which we in Scotland have taken the issue forward. Our goal is to create a Scotland that, at its heart, is free from sectarianism, racism and discrimination. We have real hope for the future. I have no doubt that our efforts and those of our partners in driving the anti-sectarian agenda further forward will bring about the Scotland in which we all want to live and prosper. Football clubs are rising to that challenge and, as citizens of Scotland, we must rise to it, too. We must recognise such behaviour for what it is, confront it when we see it and ensure that Scotland is a better place in which to live.