Violent Crime Reduction Bill

Our previous discussion of the seriousness of offences involving knives made plain everyone’s concern for, and a degree of consensus on, the seriousness of the issue. The Government are concerned about the carrying of knives in public for use in violent crime, and are fully committed to doing everything and anything possible to deal with this, while recognising that many people carry knives for entirely legitimate purposes, as the noble Earl, Lord Shrewsbury, said. The Government believe that more needs to be done to help prevent young people getting hold of knives in inappropriate circumstances. Young people are already committing an offence if they carry knives in the street: it is an offence to carry a knife in public without good reason or lawful authority, with the exception of a folding pocket knife with a blade not exceeding three inches, to which the noble Earl referred. We must prevent young people getting hold of knives. It is an offence to sell a knife to a person under 16, and Clause 38, as is understood, increases this to a person under 18. The measure should not interfere unduly with legitimate use of knives and will send a clear message that the Government expect knives to be used for legitimate purposes by responsible adults, or under the supervision of responsible adults. We recognise that under-18s would be required to get adults to buy knives to carry out legitimate business. We accept that this could cause some inconvenience for under-18s who are law-abiding citizens, such as a 17 year-old chef or some of the other examples to which the noble Earl has referred. It is true that they would not be able to buy a kitchen knife, nor would a young person who has just left home in the circumstances described by the noble Earl. However, this inconvenience will be outweighed by the impact on the perpetrators of knife crime and the fear that they can cause the public at large. It is perhaps worth reminding your Lordships that a 17 year-old would need a certificate to get a shotgun but not to get a knife or, for that matter, an air weapon. I accept that there are some difficulties here, but we are engaged, as the noble Baroness said earlier, in a campaign which is about more than just these measures. It is about trying to persuade people, particularly young people, of the dangers of carrying knives. This is a positive move in that respect, although, I accept, one which is not without some awkwardness involved. However, it is a move towards greater consistency of the age at which younger people hold something which could be dangerous in certain circumstances, and should not be carried in public—and certainly not with the intent to cause harm to others.