Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects Section 28 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 to come into force.

Knives on our streets are a social scourge, and under this Government, criminals carrying knives are more likely to go to prison and to get longer sentences. Unlawful possession of a knife or offensive weapon is already a serious criminal offence (which carries a maximum 4 year custodial sentence). We have built on that in the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, to make it absolutely clear that cautions should no longer be used for these offences.

Parliament has also decided that those caught for a second time in possession of a knife should face a minimum custodial sentence. The Ministry of Justice is currently considering how best to implement this provision, alongside the other legislative changes contained in the Act.