§ Mr. David MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effects of anti-knife legislation; and if he will make a statement. [30049]
§ Mr. McLeishThe Government continue to be concerned about knife-related crime and, as an additional means of combating such crime, we implemented the main provisions of the Knives Act 1997 on 1 September 1997. These create an offence of marketing a knife in such a way as suggests it is suitable for combat, or which encourages violent behaviour. It is, as yet, too soon to establish what effect these provisions may have had on knife-related crime.