IF David Lock wishes to score party political points in his weekly column, he should get his facts right.

Last week he wrongly alleged that a Bill to ban people who had not been convicted of an offence from travelling overseas to football matches had been talked out by Conservative MPs.

In fact the Bill he must mean - the Football (Offences and Disorder) Bill - was introduced by a Conservative and made smooth progress through the Commons and into law last year. It had the active support of the Government.

The Bill did not, however, allow the extension of international banning orders to unconvicted persons, although a Conservative MP, David MacLean, proposed that it should.

In the Commons on June 11 last year, he proposed amendments to permit this to cover the Euro 2000 Championships.

In reply, Sports Minister Kate Hoey said: "I acknowledge the sentiment behind the amendments and have some sympathy with them. We shall discuss with the opposition and all interested parties what further action can be taken in the light of monitoring the effectiveness of the Bill."

However, she added: "Including the amendments at this time, without the detailed consideration that I have mentioned, would be likely, at best, to reduce confidence in the legislation and, at worst, to alienate the very people whose support we need in order to combat hooliganism.

"For those reasons, and in the light of the assurance that we shall keep the legislation under review, I hope that the Rt Hon member for Penrith and the Border (David MacLean) will withdraw his new clause."

Disappointingly, the Government did not review matters as many had hoped, and we entered the Euro 2000 championships without the necessary legislation to prevent known, but unconvicted, thugs from travelling.

The Conservative Party even offered to support emergency legislation ahead of the championships, but the Government, of which David Lock is a member, rejected this offer.

PETER LUFF

MP for Mid-Worcestershire