Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands on tackling knife crime.

Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission and I have regular engagement with policing colleagues, including Police and Crime Commissioners, on how we can collectively achieve this ambition.

During Knife Crime Awareness Week in May this year, I visited Coventry to observe the proactive measures being implemented by West Midlands Police to tackle knife crime.

West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Midlands have also been significant contributors to the Knife-Enabled Robbery (KER) Taskforce, which I established in October 2024 to take urgent action against this rising crime type. As a member of the Taskforce they have helped build the evidence base of ‘what works’ to tackle KER and shared innovative practice with other partners.

The West Midlands has recently seen a decline in knife crime, including a sizeable reduction in KER (14% reduction in the YE December 2024 compared with the previous year), with initiatives such as weapon surrender bins, dedicated investigative resource, and preventative work contributing to this progress.

These developments underscore the importance of continued collaboration and evidence-based strategies in our mission to make communities safer.