20 Apr 2007 : Column 830W—continued
Naturalisation Test
Mr. Clegg:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the key aspects of Britishness are which the Life in the UK naturalisation test is testing; and how they were decided upon. [130018]
John Reid:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 April, Official Report, column 470W. These aspects were selected in accordance with the advice of the Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration.
Offensive Weapons
Mr. Jeremy Browne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many and what percentage of people convicted under section 1 of the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 received a (a) fine and (b) custodial sentence in each of the last five years, broken down by age group; [131180]
(2) how many and what percentage of people convicted of having an article with a blade or point under section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 received (a) a fine and (b) a custodial sentence of (i) less than six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 18 months, (iv) 18 to 24 months, (v) two to three years and (vi) four years in each year since the Act was introduced; [131181]
(3) how many and what percentage of people convicted of carrying an offensive weapon under section 139A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 received (a) a fine and (b) a custodial sentence of (i) less than six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 18 months, (iv) 18 to 24 months, (v) two to three years and (vi) four years in each year since the Act was introduced; [131184]
(4) how many and what percentage of people convicted of encouraging violent behaviour involving the use of a knife under the Knives Act 1997 received (a) a fine and (b) a custodial sentence of (i) less than six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 18 months and (iv) 18 to 24 months in each year since the Act was introduced; [131220]
(5) how many people and what percentage of people convicted of carrying an offensive weapon under section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 received (a) a fine and (b) a custodial sentence of (i) less than six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 to 18 months, (iv) 18 to 24 months, (v) two to three years and (vi) four years in each of the last 30 years. [131241]
John Reid:
The information requested is contained in the tables.
Table 1 shows persons sentenced (all persons sentenced have previously been convicted) under the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 by outcome and age group for the years 2001 to 2005.
Table 2 shows persons sentenced for the requested offences relating to knives and offensive weapons by outcome and custodial sentence length since the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 amended or added to section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. No persons convicted or sentenced have been notified to the Home Office court proceedings database under section 2(1 )(b) of the Knives Act 1997.
Information is available only from 1986 to this level of detail for offences under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953.
Court proceedings statistics for 2006 will be available in the autumn.
| Table 1: Persons( 1) sentenced for offences under the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act, by age group and outcome, England and Wales |
| Persons |
| | | | | Fine | Immediate custody | Otherwise dealt with( 2) |
| Offence | Statute | Year and age group | Total persons sentenced | No. | % of persons sentenced | No. | % of persons sentenced | No. | % of persons sentenced |
|
Making, selling, hiring etc ‘flick knife’ or ‘gravity knife’ etc
|
Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 sec 1 and Criminal Justice Act1988 sec 141
|
2001
| | | | | | | |
| | |
Aged 10-17
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
100.0
|
20 Apr 2007 : Column 831W
20 Apr 2007 : Column 832W
| | |
Aged 18-20
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
100.0
|
| | |
Aged 21 and over
|
3
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
33.3
|
2
|
66.7
|
| | |
All ages
|
5
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
20.0
|
4
|
80.0
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
2002
| | | | | | | |
| | |
Aged 10-17
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
Aged 18-20
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
50.0
|
1
|
50.0
|
| | |
Aged 21 and over
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
100.0
|
| | |
All ages
|
4
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
25.0
|
3
|
75.0
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
2003
| | | | | | | |
| | |
Aged 10-17
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
Aged 18-20
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
Aged 21 and over
|
4
|
1
|
25.0
|
1
|
25.0
|
2
|
50.0
|
| | |
All ages
|
4
|
1
|
25.0
|
1
|
25.0
|
2
|
50.0
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
2004
| | | | | | | |
| | |
Aged 10-17
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
Aged 18-20
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
100.0
|
| | |
Aged 21 and over
|
9
|
7
|
77.8
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
22.2
|
| | |
All ages
|
10
|
7
|
70.0
|
—
|
—
|
3
|
30.0
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | |
2005
| | | | | | | |
| | |
Aged 10-17
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
Aged 18-20
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
100.0
|
| | |
Aged 21 and over
|
7
|
3
|
42.9
|
—
|
—
|
4
|
57.1
|
| | |
All ages
|
8
|
3
|
37.5
|
—
|
—
|
5
|
62.5
|
(1) Principal offence basis.
(2) Absolute and conditional discharges, community sentences and other miscellaneous disposals.
|
20 Apr 2007 : Column 833W
20 Apr 2007 : Column 834W
| Table 2: Persons( 1) sentenced for various offences connected with knives and offensive weapons, by outcome, including immediate custodial sentence length, England and Wales |
| Persons |
| | | | | | | Immediate Custody |
| | | | | Fine | Total | | | |
| Offence | Statute | Year | Total persons sentenced | No. | % of persons sentenced | No. | % of persons sentenced | Less than 6 months | 6 months and less than 12 months | 12 months and less than 18 months |
|
Having an article with a blade or point in a public place
|
Criminal Justice Act 1988 sec 1 39 as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 sec 3
|
1996
|
890
|
448
|
50.3
|
56
|
6.3
|
52
|
3
|
—
|
| | |
1997
|
3,341
|
1,177
|
35.2
|
372
|
11.1
|
347
|
15
|
7
|
| | |
1998
|
3,788
|
1,184
|
31.3
|
550
|
14.5
|
493
|
46
|
9
|
| | |
1999
|
3,548
|
1,026
|
28.9
|
534
|
15.1
|
493
|
34
|
4
|
| | |
2000
|
3,518
|
986
|
28.0
|
499
|
14.2
|
454
|
38
|
7
|
| | |
2001
|
4,303
|
1,146
|
26.6
|
589
|
13.7
|
536
|
47
|
3
|
| | |
2002
|
5,269
|
1,347
|
25.6
|
766
|
14.5
|
676
|
76
|
7
|
| | |
2003
|
5,311
|
1,275
|
24.0
|
755
|
14.2
|
668
|
69
|
13
|
| | |
2004
|
5,802
|
1,128
|
19.4
|
803
|
13.8
|
706
|
88
|
6
|
| | |
2005
|
5,957
|
951
|
16.0
|
965
|
16.2
|
850
|
89
|
23
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Having an article with a blade or point on school premises
|
Criminal Justice Act 1988 sec 139A(1) and (5X1) as added by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 sec 4(1)
|
1996
|
12
|
5
|
41.7
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1997
|
19
|
4
|
21.1
|
3
|
15.8
|
3
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1998
|
16
|
3
|
18.8
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1999
|
16
|
6
|
37.5
|
2
|
12.5
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2000
|
44
|
10
|
22.7
|
7
|
15.9
|
6
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2001
|
61
|
18
|
29.5
|
3
|
4.9
|
1
|
2
|
—
|
| | |
2002
|
57
|
9
|
15.8
|
7
|
12.3
|
7
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2003
|
88
|
14
|
15.9
|
6
|
6.8
|
5
|
1
|
—
|
| | |
2004
|
106
|
20
|
18.9
|
12
|
11.3
|
11
|
1
|
—
|
| | |
2005
|
45
|
2
|
4.4
|
5
|
11.1
|
4
|
—
|
1
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises
|
Criminal Justice Act 1988 sec139A(2) and (5Xb) as added by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 sec 4(1)
|
1996
|
3
|
2
|
66.7
|
1
|
33.3
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1997
|
19
|
2
|
10.5
|
4
|
21.1
|
3
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1998
|
20
|
1
|
5.0
|
5
|
25.0
|
1
|
4
|
—
|
| | |
1999
|
20
|
3
|
15.0
|
3
|
15.0
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
20 Apr 2007 : Column 835W
20 Apr 2007 : Column 836W
| | |
2000
|
18
|
0
|
0.0
|
6
|
33.3
|
4
|
1
|
—
|
| | |
2001
|
19
|
2
|
10.5
|
3
|
15.8
|
3
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2002
|
21
|
0
|
0.0
|
5
|
23.8
|
2
|
3
|
—
|
| | |
2003
|
21
|
0
|
0.0
|
4
|
19.0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
| | |
2004
|
33
|
1
|
3.0
|
4
|
12.1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
| | |
2005
|
30
|
2
|
6.7
|
3
|
10.0
|
1
|
2
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Publication of any written, pictorial or other material in connection with the marketing of any knife—the material is otherwise likely to stimulate or encourage violent behaviour involving use of a knife as a weapon
|
Knives Act 1997 sec 2(1)(b)
|
1997
| |
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1998
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
1999
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2001
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2002
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2003
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2004
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | |
2005
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse
|
Prevention of Crime Act 1953 sec 1 as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 sec 2(1)
|
1986
|
4,961
|
2,511
|
50.6
|
505
|
10.2
|
385
|
89
|
15
|
| | |
1987
|
5,916
|
3,030
|
51.2
|
536
|
9.1
|
397
|
96
|
29
|
| | |
1988
|
5,804
|
2,994
|
51.6
|
498
|
8.6
|
341
|
104
|
43
|
| | |
1989
|
5,121
|
2,709
|
52.9
|
386
|
7.5
|
253
|
102
|
21
|
| | |
1990
|
4,288
|
2,300
|
53.6
|
210
|
4.9
|
142
|
53
|
10
|
| | |
1991
|
3,907
|
1,876
|
48.0
|
222
|
5.7
|
162
|
40
|
11
|
| | |
1992
|
3,608
|
1,655
|
45.9
|
233
|
6.5
|
160
|
53
|
16
|
| | |
1993
|
3,129
|
1,257
|
40.2
|
167
|
5.3
|
129
|
27
|
5
|
| | |
1994
|
3,302
|
1,269
|
38.4
|
216
|
6.5
|
161
|
44
|
7
|
20 Apr 2007 : Column 837W
20 Apr 2007 : Column 838W
| | |
1995
|
3,196
|
1,147
|
35.9
|
304
|
9.5
|
241
|
38
|
16
|
| | |
1996
|
3,545
|
1,094
|
30.9
|
401
|
11.3
|
310
|
66
|
17
|
| | |
1997
|
4,130
|
1,204
|
29.2
|
509
|
12.3
|
399
|
72
|
22
|
| | |
1998
|
4,375
|
1,223
|
28.0
|
585
|
13.4
|
490
|
67
|
16
|
| | |
1999
|
4,135
|
1,070
|
25.9
|
554
|
13.4
|
442
|
79
|
17
|
| | |
2000
|
4,108
|
964
|
23.5
|
595
|
14.5
|
474
|
84
|
25
|
| | |
2001
|
4,873
|
1,146
|
23.5
|
634
|
13.0
|
516
|
82
|
21
|
| | |
2002
|
5,441
|
1,129
|
20.7
|
787
|
14.5
|
629
|
103
|
31
|
| | |
2003
|
5,394
|
1,168
|
21.7
|
760
|
14.1
|
596
|
108
|
29
|
| | |
2004
|
5,758
|
1,037
|
18.0
|
817
|
14.2
|
652
|
120
|
28
|
| | |
2005
|
5,689
|
741
|
13.0
|
829
|
14.6
|
644
|
129
|
34
|
