§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will hold consultations with chief constables to consider with them appropriate measures to restrict the increase in the carrying of knives by young people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdDuring our recent study of how the law relating to the possession of knives might be reinforced we778W held consultations with chief officers of police. I now intend to bring forward in the Criminal Justice Bill, proposals which would make it an offence for a person to have a bladed or sharply pointed article in a public place without good reason or lawful authority. I also intend to bring forward proposals which will enable the sale of specified weapons for which there is no legitimate use to be banned.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in how many cases in each of the last 10 years involving grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, malicious wounding or assault, respectively, the victim was threatened or attacked with a knife;
(2) whether he will order a statistical analysis of crimes committed in the United Kingdom with use of knives; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation on the use of weapons other than firearms is not collected centrally, except for offences of homicide. Statistics of homicides are published each year in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (table 4.3 in the volume for 1985 (Cm. 10)). Statistics of offences of violence against the person and robberies involving weapons recorded by the Metropolitan police are published each year by the commissioner in his annual report (tables A2 and B3 in appendix 4iii of the issue for 1986, (Cm. 158)).