June 8, 2005: New Violent Crime Reduction Bill

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears, who has has overall responsibility for reducing crime and the fear of crime, has announced the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which contains new powers to ban the manufacture and sale of imitation firearms and tougher sentences for carrying them. It will also increase the age limit for purchasing to a knife to 18 years. It will further ban individuals responsible for alcohol-related violence from specific areas for up to two years.

The Bill would:

• Make it illegal to manufacture or sell imitation firearms that could be mistaken for real firearms;
• Bring in higher sentences for carrying imitation firearms;
• Create tougher manufacturing standards to ensure that imitation firearms can’t be converted to fire real ammunition;
• Increase the age limit for buying or firing an air weapon without supervision from 17 to 18;
• Make it an offence to use other people to hide or carry guns or knives;
• Increase the age limit for purchasing a knife from 16 to 18;
• Introduce powers for head-teachers and other members of staff to search pupils for knives;
• Introduce Alcohol Disorder Zones (ADZs) which will require licensed premises to contribute to the cost of alcohol-related disorder in specific areas where it has been identified as a problem.
• Exclude individuals responsible for alcohol-related disorder from certain areas and licensed premises by imposing ‘Drinking Banning Orders’ which could run for up to 2 years;
• Create powers for police to ban the sale of alcohol at licensed premises for up to 48-hours for selling alcohol to under 18s;
• Provide police with the power to exclude individuals at risk of carrying out alcohol-related disorder from a specific area for up to 48 hours.

According to Hazel Blears:

“There is increasing public concern around relatively low level crime and anti-social behaviour escalating to more serious offences because people are under the influence of alcohol or carrying weapons. Outlawing the manufacture and sale of imitation firearms, clamping down on binge and underage drinking and ensuring knives are less accessible will help to tackle this."

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell also supported the Bill:

"The measures in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill are a key part in the fight against alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder. They complement the new licensing laws, which will help eradicate trouble flashpoints through ending fixed closing, give the police tougher powers to deal with trouble venues and provide greater protection for children and local communities."