A new licensing scheme is being proposed by the government to block illegal knife sales and imports – helping save lives and keep dangerous weapons out of young hands.
The measures would introduce mandatory licences for businesses and private sellers, as well as for importers of knives and bladed items.
Subject to consultation, sellers could face police suitability checks, mandatory age verification and secure packaging requirements. Import licences would prevent sellers from moving operations overseas to avoid regulation.
This builds on new laws introduced by the government to tackle knife crime, including Ronan’s Law which strengthens rules for selling knives online, as part of the government’s commitment to halve knife crime in a decade. Widespread police operations, border seizures and a knife surrender scheme have already seen 60,000 knives taken off our streets. There has also been an 18% fall in knife homicides, with knife crime overall down 5% compared to the previous year and stabbings down 10%.
The scheme would prevent young people from bypassing existing safeguards by using adult identification or through unregulated resales on social media. This so-called ‘grey market’ enables knives to be bought without any checks, putting lives at risk.
Tragedies in recent years underline the urgency of action. Sixteen year old Ronan Kanda was murdered in Wolverhampton by 2 other teenagers who had ordered a ninja sword online – one of several bladed weapons delivered to their home.
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said
Knives destroy lives, families, and communities. That’s why this government is committed to halving knife crime within a decade.
We want to know if licensing measures like those in this consultation could save lives by making knife sales safer and more accountable and stop them falling into the wrong hands.
Supported by Ronan Kanda’s Mum, Pooja Kanda, the proposed licensing schemes follow recommendations from the Independent Review of Online Knife Sales, led by National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) knife crime lead Commander Stephen Clayman. The review highlighted the need for stronger regulation to prevent knives falling into the wrong hands and putting lives in danger.
Commander Stephen Clayman, NPCC lead for knife crime, said
Throughout our end-to-end review of online knife sales, the need for better retailer regulation came up time and time again. Whether online or traditional high street shops, we must do all we can to prevent knives ending up in the hands of children and others who carry through fear or for use with offending.
The most recent activity carried out by police through Sceptre in November highlighted 1 in 4 shops failing a test purchase. Therefore, achieving a consistent standard of responsible retailing of knives across the board is key and this consultation is therefore extremely important.
We know that all too often, unscrupulous sellers are using a range of platforms to sell to children and young adults, circumventing traditional retailers and legal safeguards. A mandatory licensing scheme will give us another tool in our fight to stop this, while we continue to work with tech and social media companies to ensure the content is swiftly removed or ideally never uploaded in the first place.
Graham Wynn, Assistant Director of Business and Regulation at the British Retail Consortium, said
Retailers are fully committed to playing their part in ensuring that knives do not fall into the wrong hands, with many signing up to the Home Office voluntary agreement on the sale of knives.
Any licensing scheme should be practical and proportionate so that legitimate sales of items such as cutlery can continue smoothly.
Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner, mother of Ronan Kanda and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said
I fully support the consultation on a licensing system that I believe would bring proper control over knife sales. My son’s murderer, a 16 year old child, was able to buy a ninja sword and other bladed weapons with the same ease as buying a loaf of bread. That should horrify every parent in this country.
A licensing system will add a vital layer of protection and ensure that only responsible, accountable sellers are allowed to trade in these dangerous items. Because in the wrong hands, these weapons destroy families.
If you want to sell knives, you should be visible, traceable, and accountable on all platforms.