Offensive Weapons

Anne Main
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether her Department has conducted consultations on restricting or controlling the sale of knives; and if she will make a statement;

(2) what consideration she has given to licensing the sale of domestic and non-domestic knives; and if she will make a statement;

(3) what restrictions are in place on the sale of (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic knives; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Coaker
There are a number of restrictions and controls on the sale of knives and other bladed instruments. The Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 bans the sale of flick knives and gravity knives. The Criminal Justice Act 1988 prohibits the manufacture, sale and hire of 17 weapons specified in the Criminal Justice Act (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988 including butterfly knives. The Government consulted in March 2007 on adding samurai swords and other offensive weapons to the Order, and has announced its intention to proceed with a ban on the sale of samurai swords, subject to exemptions for collectors and reputable martial arts groups, by April 2008.

While the Government do not currently have plans to license the sale of knives we have, as part of our commitment to tackling knife crime, made it an offence to sell a knife to a person aged under 18 in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, which is an increase from the previous age of 16. The Knives Act 1997 also makes it an offence to market knives as suitable for combat, or in ways likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour.