Goalpost Safety
Brooks Newmark presents a Private Members' Bill to make provision for minimum standards for football goalposts.
Mr. Brooks Newmark (Braintree) (Con): I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for minimum standards for football goalposts.
Eighteen years ago, an 11-year-old boy from my constituency, Jonathan Smith, was killed during an away game of the Witham under-12s. Jonathan was swinging from the crossbar when the goalpost fell on him, ruptured his heart and left his family devastated. Since his death, Jonathan’s mother, Brenda Smith, who is here today watching the presentation of this Bill, has fought a tireless campaign to improve the safety of goalposts.
I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Blizzard), who secured a debate on this important subject in Westminster Hall in January 2000. Nine years on, however, there is still no legislation to improve goalpost safety standards.
The beautiful game has a devoted following in all parts of the House. Many of us, including, I am sure, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, are wary of imposing new rules, regulations or requirements on the game, its clubs, supporters or amateur players, but my Bill is not an example of health and safety gone mad. I am not talking about professional football, or families having a kickabout in their back yard, and I am not out to ruin anyone’s fun. As a passionate Newcastle United fan and father of five, I do not need to be told how important football is to young people. I know only too well that millions of people regularly enjoy playing football, and we need to encourage them to do so, but we also need appropriate legislation to help to keep them safe.
It is true that some progress has already been made. We now have a good British Standards Institution standard, an up-and-running scheme to replace unsafe goalposts, some growing publicity, and letters of support for Brenda Smith from Her Majesty the Queen, sports personalities and the Football Association, among others.
In 2005, a new BSI standard was introduced. The Football Foundation says that
“the standard is good, the standard is solid”.
Nevertheless, manufacturers and buyers are only recommended to comply with it. In addition, the FA distributed more than 1 million leaflets to help clubs, schools and councils to understand better the risks posed by unsafe goalposts and how safety measures should be applied practice.
The Football Foundation operates an excellent scheme, which allows any FA-affiliated club, local authority, school, community group or club in the national league system step 7 and below to apply for a 50 per cent. grant to replace any of their goalposts that do not adhere to the recognised BSI standard. However, my Bill seeks to go a step further, by making the replacement of any goalposts that do not meet the BSI standard mandatory by 2012. That will include goalposts used on property owned by councils, schools and clubs.
The Bill will target in particular goalposts made before 1996—the year in which British standards were first produced for goalposts. Despite the introduction of those standards, the FA says that some schools still use, for example, wooden goalposts, which are not illegal, but which do pose a threat to the children using them. Other unsafe goalposts include those that are corroded, rusted or free-standing, or those with metal cuphooks on the posts of crossbars.
In 2005, the FA identified approximately 15,000 goalposts that did not meet the BSI standard. The Football Foundation has, to date, offered 3,192 grants with a value of nearly £2 million. As the grants can be offered for multiple goalposts, they have enabled about one third of the unsafe goalposts identified to be replaced. That is an admirable achievement, but more can be done.
I admit that I was surprised when I first became aware of the risk posed by unsafe goalposts. Since Jonathan’s death in 1991, at least 10 other children in the UK and many others worldwide have been killed by falling goalposts. Even more have been injured, suffering broken limbs, bruising and fractured skulls, often leaving permanent damage and disfiguring scars. Adults, too, have also been injured in the same way: I recently heard from the parents of another constituent who, 10 years ago, when she was in her mid-20s, had an unsecured goalpost land on her, causing severe injuries for which she is receiving treatment to this day. I am sure that other hon. Members have similar stories.
The Football Association says that one of the biggest problems is when children swing on goalposts, and I suppose that one answer is to admit that it is difficult to stop children wanting to play on goalposts. Nevertheless, we can minimise the risk as far as possible by ensuring that goalposts are fit for purpose, properly installed and well maintained.
The goalpost that killed my constituent’s son, Jonathan, was simply made of scaffold poles welded together, weighing 200 lb, that were not fixed to the ground. Jonathan was playing in a game for under-12s, who weigh perhaps 60 or 70 lb; they would not have been at risk if purpose-built, lightweight plastic or aluminium goalposts had been in use. Installation and maintenance is as important as manufacture; indeed, the current Football Foundation scheme insists on professional installation and offers training in proper maintenance techniques. Local authorities already have to organise an independent annual check on the conditions of their own pitches. I believe it would be a simple matter to ensure that the safety of the goalposts was also checked at this time.
The Government have argued that enough has already been done and that a voluntary code will suffice. In a letter sent to my constituent, Brenda Smith, in September last year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that the Government still
“do not have any current plans to introduce legislation covering this area”.
I agree that support, guidelines and recommendations are a major step forward in creating good practice, but we can do more to ensure that no other family has to mourn losing a child who should have been celebrating winning a football game.
Other countries have taken more robust action on this issue. The New South Wales Government in Australia passed legislation prohibiting the manufacture of goalposts that did not meet strict criteria. This guarantees that goalposts cannot fall or tip over, and that they are of a limited weight and force.
I never imagined that I would suggest to the House that France is a country that has anything to teach us about the beautiful game, but the French have legislated for a safety standard that makes the manufacture, distribution or use of non-standard goalposts illegal. I am sure that when it comes to goalpost safety, even my hon. Friend the Member for Stone (Mr. Cash) would not object to our following the French lead.
Given the simple and accessible scheme already in operation, 2012 is a realistic target. The year of the London Olympics is also an important symbolic target, proving that we have a commitment to grass-roots sports and that we care as much for safety as for success. That would be a great British Olympic legacy.
The Football Association says it has
“done as much as possible internally and externally”,
while the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey), a supporter of this Bill and a previous sports Minister, said that pushing for legislation on goalpost safety was “obviously a longer-term solution”. Well, it is now 18 years since Brenda Smith lost her son—and that is not just the long term, but a whole lifetime. I hope that I will receive the support of all hon. Members for this Bill to place our children at the heart of a culture of safety and awareness, and to make minimum safety standards for goalposts mandatory by 2012. I commend it to the House.
Question put and agreed to.
Ordered,
That Mr. Brooks Newmark, Mr. Don Foster, Rob Marris, Mr. John Grogan, Mr. David Anderson, Kate Hoey, Mr. Simon Burns, Alistair Burt, Mr. John Randall, Mr. Mark Field, Mr. Nigel Evans and Stuart Hosie present the Bill.
Mr. Brooks Newmark accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 October and to be printed (Bill 961).