To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the number of offences related to the possession of a knife of those aspects of the Tackling Knives Action Programme which apply to schools. (287551)

[holding answer 20 July 2009]: Figures for possession of a knife or offensive weapon which relate to schools are too small for reliable interpretation; therefore they are counted within the sentencing statistics for England and Wales. Figures are given for all knife crime possession offences in England and Wales, including those on a school premises.

The most recent figures from the Ministry of Justice show that the number of offences involving possession of a knife or offensive weapon fell 7 per cent. (from 6,931 to 6,477 offences) in January to March 2009, compared with the same period in 2008.

In the same period the number of offences committed by young people aged 10-17 years fell by 15 per cent. (from 1,591 to 1,359 offences).