Following recent reports of yet more young people dying as a result of knife attacks, Huw took to the chamber to ask the Home Office Minister, Victoria Atkins, when the government would be rolling out Knife Crime Prevention Orders. “Police need resources,” he said, “but they also need the powers.”
The orders would enable the police to implement curfews and restrict the use of social media of any person aged 12 or over who has either been convicted of knife-related offences or is suspected of carrying a knife. Although they are civil orders, if breached, they could lead to a prison sentence of up to two years. Both the police and the Mayor of London called on the government to implement the new measures.
The Minister said that as the Offensive Weapons Act (under which the orders would be implemented) had recently received Royal Assent,the government would soon be introducing legislation with the aim of piloting the orders in autumn of this year.
Watch the exchange below:
Huw previously spoke in support of knife crime prevention orders during the debate on the Offensive Weapons Bill, which you can view here.