asked Her Majesty's Government:
What psychiatric and medical advice they sought and received before announcing that perpetrators of knife crime should visit their victims in hospital; what effects they expect such visits to have on victims; what is likely to be the added cost to the National Health Service of facilitating escorted visits; and whether such visits could contribute to hospital infection. [HL4887]
The knife referral project involves ensuring that young people who have been convicted of possession of a knife understand the risks and consquences of their actions. If they do not receive a custodial sentence, they will attend, as part of their community sentence, a weapons awareness programme and this may include discussions with A&E professionals and victims’ families.
There is no proposal that offenders who have committed violence involving knives should visit their victims in hospital.