§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to tackle crimes involving knives. [28804]
§ Mr. McLeishThe Government implemented the main provisions of the Knives Act 1997 on 1 September 1997. These create an offence of marketing a knife in a way which suggests that it is suitable for combat or which encourages violent behaviour. They supplement existing legislation, including the Knives (Scotland) Act 1993, aimed at preventing or dealing with knife-related crime. The Crime and Disorder Bill includes provisions for extended sentences for violent offenders which will enable the courts to impose supervised release beyond the end of a custodial term where this is required for the protection of the public. We remain open to proposals for measures which will address the problem of the use of knives as weapons without interfering with their legitimate everyday use.