This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the forthcoming debate on the impact of government policy on knife crime.
Knife Crime: Government Policy (221KB PDF)
On 27 June 2019, the House of Lords is due to debate a motion moved by Lord Paddick (Liberal Democrat). The motion is that “this House takes note of the impact of government policy on knife crime”. This briefing sets out recent statistics relating to knife crime and provides an overview of government policy on the issue, alongside some of the reaction to it.
Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) demonstrates that in recent years, the level of offences involving a knife or sharp object has risen, in some cases reaching historic highs.
Responding to this rise in serious violence, including knife crime, the Government has announced a series of initiatives aimed at tackling the problem. These include: expanded police powers in relation to stop and search; ring-fenced funding to tackle knife crime; and a consultation on a new legal duty to support a multi-agency approach to preventing and tackling serious violence. These measures have received a mixed response. While some have welcomed the actions taken, others have argued the Government is not doing enough.
Knife Crime: Government Policy (221KB PDF)
In January 2026, the government announced a new scheme to support urgent repairs and essential improvements to listed places of worship. Called the ‘Places of worship renewal fund for England’, it replaced the ‘Listed places of worship grant scheme’ which had run since 2001. This briefing provides an overview of both schemes, the government’s reasoning for the change and the reaction of stakeholders.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as ME or chronic fatigue syndrome, is a long-term health condition that is estimated to affect over 400,000 people in the UK. It is a fluctuating condition with symptoms including fatigue, sleep problems and brain fog. In 2025 the government published its final delivery plan on ME, which aimed to improve care and support for those with the condition.
Concerns about abuse and intimidation towards elected representatives have increased in recent years. The Jo Cox Civility Commission made a number of recommendations in a 2024 report to address this because of concerns that this activity would dissuade people from standing in elections and encourage existing representatives to stand down. The government has instigated a number of policies to tackle the abuse and intimidation of elected representatives.
