Have your say: Consultation launched on new knife legislation

The Home Office has launched a public consultation on new measures to disrupt knife possession and tackle knife crime.

The Home Office is inviting views from the public about a range of proposals, including banning machetes and ‘zombie’ knives.

The Home Office has identified certain types of machetes and large outdoor knives that do not seem to have a practical use, appear to be designed to look “menacing” and be favoured by those who want to use these knives as weapons.

The intention is to include these types of weapons in the list of prohibited offensive weapons set out in the schedule to The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988.

This would mean that the manufacture, importation, sale, and supply of these items would be an offence.

Possession, both in public and in private, would also be an offence, unless a defence applies.

A key part of the consultation will look at whether to provide the police with additional powers to enable them to seize, retain and destroy bladed articles of a certain length, even if the items themselves are not prohibited.

The consultation will also look at whether it would be appropriate to mirror firearms legislation and introduce a separate possession offence of knives and offensive weapons with intent to injure or cause fear of violence.

Responses to the 8-week consultation will inform the Home Office’s proposals on whether there is a need for future legislation and, if so, the form that this will take.

The consultation is now live and will run until Tuesday 6 June 2023.

How can I take part?

You can find out more information about the consultation here.

Please submit your response by 6 June 2023 by -

• completing the online form at: Consultation on new knife legislation proposals to tackle the use of machetes and other bladed articles in crime (homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk)
• or email to: [email protected]

Enquiries (including requests for the paper in an alternative format) to:

Serious Violence Unit
5th floor, Fry Building
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

If you are unable to use the online system, you may download a Word document version of the online form and email or post it to the above contact details.