Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the Press Release of 18 July 2017 Home Secretary Takes Further Action to Tackle Knife Crime, when she (a) plans to issue the consultation document and (b) what length of time the consultation will be open.

On 18 July the Home Secretary announced the intention to consult on the introduction of new offences to toughen the law on knife crime. The proposed new legislation would restrict the online sale of knives by ensuring anyone who bought a knife online would be required to collect it in person, with retailers responsible for checking the age of all buyers.

Further proposals were announced to consult on proposals to ban possession of a dangerous or offensive weapons on private property, and to extend the possession of a knife in a public place and schools to Higher Education and Further Education institutions. Our intention is to launch the consultation in the Autumn and it is likely to be open for up to 12 weeks.