Commentary on Sections

Part 2: Public Order Etc.

Chapter 1: Football Banning Orders
Enforcement of order in relation to foreign matches
Section 62 – Notices under section 61(4): further provision

104.This section provides that individuals subject to banning orders may not be required to surrender their passport under section 61(4) except in the control period in relation to a match or tournament played outwith the United Kingdom. It also defines what the control period is. For a regulated football match outside the United Kingdom it is the period beginning 5 days before the day of the match and ending when the match is finished or cancelled. For certain external tournaments it may also be appropriate for a block control period to apply so that the person is required to report and surrender their passport for the whole of the external tournament. The block period will apply 5 days before the day of the first match in the tournament (excluding qualifying games) and finish on the day on which the last football match is played. The Scottish Ministers will require to prescribe by order made by statutory instrument subject to negative resolution procedure the external tournaments that should be subject to a block control period. These could be tournaments such as the European Championships and the World Cup.

105.Subsection (2) requires the police to return the passport to the individual as soon as is reasonably practicable after the control period ends.