Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press notice entitled Government bans machetes and zombie knives, published by her Department on 30 August 2023, whether her proposal to ban the online sale of machetes and other bladed weapons includes swords without serrated edges.

Between 18 April 2023 and 6 June 2023, the Government ran a consultation on five proposals to tackle knife crime, including a targeted ban on certain types of machetes and knives which appear to be designed to look intimidating, but which have no practical purpose. The consultation followed engagement with the police who had raised concerns about the use of fantasy and zombie type machetes and knives in crime.

On 30 August the Home Office published the government response to the consultation:

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/machetes-and-other-bladed-articles-proposed-legislation

As set out in the consultation response, the government is currently considering the precise description of the items we wish to ban following feedback from respondents to the consultation. This includes considering the following features:

- Cutting edges – plain and serrated

- Sharp pointed end

- Length of the blade

- Holes in the blade

- Other features - spikes, protuberances, hooks

These features are being considered to differentiate the types of machetes and knives which appear to have been designed to look intimidating and have no practical purpose, from the types of machetes and knives which are used for agriculture, gardening and a range of other jobs and pastimes.

We have focused on the features commonly found in the knives and machetes that the police have brought to our attention as increasingly being used for serious crime and serious violence.

As set out in the consultation response, during our conversations with the police swords were not raised as a specific concern and in discussion with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), we agreed to focus on zombie style machetes and knives in this consultation. However, we will keep this under review, should any operational need arise to extend the ban to swords and other bladed articles or offensive weapons.

More widely, it is already an offence to have an article with a blade or point in a public place without good reason and this includes swords. Upon conviction for this offence a person can be liable for up to four years imprisonment.

It is also an offence to sell any sword or machete to anyone under 18 and one of our proposals is to increase the maximum sentence for this offence to two years imprisonment.