{"value":{"id":1865616,"askingMemberId":5062,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2025-12-17T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","uin":"101058","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what actions did (a) ministers, and (b) officials take after they were informed of the options under consideration on 2 October 2025.","answeringBodyId":1,"answeringBodyName":"Home Office","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":true,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4631,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.</p><p>During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.</p><p>These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.</p><p>The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.</p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1865616","method":"GET"}]}