Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many weapons in each category were confiscated on the HM Courts and Tribunals Service estate in each of the last three years.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has embedded a series of measures designed to keep its buildings, and the people within them (including staff, judiciary, contractor, jurors, and users) safe and secure. Among other things, security search on entry procedures are in place to ensure risks to personal safety are minimised. Details of the policy, including information on items not allowed into court and tribunal buildings are available online.
In each of the last three complete financial years, the numbers of confiscated weapons are as follows:
Financial Year | Knives (blade under 3”) | Knives (blade over 3”) | Other Blades | Firearms (Genuine) | Firearms (Other) | Sharps | Other Weapons |
17/18 | 8621 | 467 | N/A* | 2 | 35 | 16,232 | N/A* |
18/19 | 10,027 | 553 | 2322 | 0 | 32 | 16,124 | 507 |
19/20 | 8075 | 598 | 4188 | 2 | 24 | 14,277 | 1081 |
Total | 26,723 | 1618 | 6510 | 4 | 91 | 46,633 | 1588 |
* Category introduced in 2018/19