To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much had been spent on the implementation of the Tackling Knives Action Programme in each of the participating areas at the latest date for which figures are available; and if she will take steps to implement the programme in other areas with high levels of knife crime. (259517)

More than £5 million has been spent on the implementation of the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP). A breakdown of the £1.8 million that was initially invested in the 10 areas is appended as follows. A further £300,000 was provided to the forces to procure 85 search arches and 566 wands in addition to the 350 wands and 100 arches previously provided nationally.

In October, £3.4 million of extra funding was allocated to police forces in the TKAP areas to extend after-school patrols, Safer Schools Partnerships and Operation Staysafe programmes, to ensure that young people are kept safe in and around their school. A further £100,000 has also been made available to combat underage sales of knives.

In addition to the 10 ‘first tier’, TKAP police forces have also identified Bedfordshire, South Yorkshire and Northumbria as areas that could benefit from TKAP’s intensive approach as well as the British Transport police. The geographical coverage of TKAP continues to be kept under review.