§ Lord Windleshamasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many criminal prosecutions have been brought under the Knives Act 1997 since it came into effect; and how many persons have been sentenced to custodial or non-custodial penalties for the offences contained in section 1 of that Act. [HL1147]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn)Sections 1 to 7, 9 and 10 of the Knives Act 1997 came into force on 1 September 1997.
In England and Wales in 1997 there was one prosecution under Section 1(4)(a): Unlawful marketing of knives—Selling or hiring, which resulted in the offender being fined. Provisional data for the first quarter of 1998 show two further prosecutions, one 157WA under Section 1(4)(a), which again resulted in a fine, and the other under Section 1(4)(b): Unlawful marketing of knives—Offers or exposes to sell or hire, where the charge was withdrawn.
In Scotland there were no prosecutions under the Act in 1997.
For Northern Ireland there have been no prosecutions brought under the Act up to 31 March 1998.