Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, what steps she is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of cases involving the use of offensive weapons.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

This Government’s priority is to keep our streets safe, that is why we have committed to halve knife crime in a decade as part of our Safer Streets Mission.

As well as committing to more police officers and police community support officers on our streets, the Government has taken swift action to tackle knife crime by creating new offences and penalties to deter the possession and sale of these barbaric weapons, including implementing the ban on zombie-style knives and machetes, and bringing forward plans to ban ninja swords later this year.

As Solicitor General, I superintend the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The CPS prosecutes knife crime robustly, providing early investigative advice on offending to build strong cases and deliver justice for victims.

Working closely with police forces in Merseyside, Thames Valley, West Midlands and Sussex, the CPS recently completed a two-year pilot of Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs). SVROs, which can be applied for by the CPS, provide police with the power to search a person subject to an order for bladed articles or offensive weapons in a public space. The pilot has already yielded positive results. For example, in Merseyside, the CPS has secured more than 270 SVROs against offenders who posed a significant risk to the public. In the same region, over the past year knife crime has decreased by 6.5% and violent crime has reduced by more than 32% in the areas identified as hotspots for antisocial behaviour and serious violence. An evaluation report about the pilot is due in summer 2025, ahead of a decision by the Government to roll the powers out nationally.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to protect critical undersea infrastructure.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Cables and pipelines are as vital for our economy as factories and power stations.

This Government is increasing defence spending to keep Britain safe at home and secure abroad. And that includes investing in RFA Proteus to protect our undersea cables.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage India to meet its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is aware that the Government of India has placed the Indus Water Treaty into abeyance due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. It is critical for all countries and international partners to work together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Indus River system, a water system that is critical to both India and Pakistan. The UK Government stands ready to offer its support to India and Pakistan in their efforts to ensure the sustainable and equitable management of the Indus River system in the face of a changing climate.

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald

Found: Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood Dawn Butler Marsha De Cordova Yasmin Qureshi Chris McDonald