1-20 of 7,532 results for subject:"Offensive weapons"
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.337 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.013 seconds
- Search query
- subject:"Offensive weapons"
- We searched for
- subject_t:"Offensive weapons" OR subject_t:Catapults OR subject_t:Slingshots OR subject_ses:92227
Type
House
Session
More
Year
More
Department
More
Member
More
Primary member
More
Answering member
More
Legislative stage
Legislation
More
Subject
More
Publisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help support Dorset Police to tackle antisocial behaviour involving catapults in West Dorset constituency.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help support Dorset Police to tackle antisocial behaviour involving catapults in West Dorset constituency.
The Government shares concerns over the misuse of both manufactured and homemade catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.
There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies, including Dorset police, with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour, including involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).
Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. The definition of an 'offensive weapon' may include a catapult depending on the circumstances of the case.
Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years' imprisonment, or the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales and there are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done
Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.
Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.
My Lords, this order seeks to amend the definition of “ninja sword” in the list of prohibited offensive weapons contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988.
I will briefly set out the context. Noble Lords will recognise the campaigning by the family of Ronan Kanda, who was...
My Lords, this order seeks to amend the definition of “ninja sword” in the list of prohibited offensive weapons contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988.
I will briefly set out the context. Noble Lords will recognise the campaigning by the family of Ronan Kanda, who was...
My Lords, the order has been brought before Parliament to correct an error in a previous piece of secondary legislation—the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) (Amendment, Surrender and Compensation) (England and Wales) Order 2025—which we debated on 5 June 2025. As the Minister said, the previous order banned so-called...
My Lords, the order has been brought before Parliament to correct an error in a previous piece of secondary legislation—the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) (Amendment, Surrender and Compensation) (England and Wales) Order 2025—which we debated on 5 June 2025. As the Minister said, the previous order banned so-called...
I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Davies of Gower, for his broad support for the original and existing orders. I am indebted to him for his contribution to this debate.
In 2024, the Government consulted on new legislative proposals on ninja swords, which were agreed last year, as the...
I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Davies of Gower, for his broad support for the original and existing orders. I am indebted to him for his contribution to this debate.
In 2024, the Government consulted on new legislative proposals on ninja swords, which were agreed last year, as the...
Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.
Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of online trends involving catapults on West Dorset consistency.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of online trends involving catapults on West Dorset consistency.
The Government recognises concerns about potentially harmful online trends, including those involving weapons or harmful behaviour.
The Online Safety Act 2023 requires social media and search services to assess and mitigate the risks of illegal activity on their platforms, including taking action against content linked to the unlawful use of weapons or other criminal activity.
Services must also protect children from harmful content. This includes content which encourages dangerous challenges, violence, or other behaviours likely to result in serious harm. Ofcom, as the independent regulator, has strong enforcement powers to hold platforms accountable where they fail to comply.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with social media companies about the availability of content involving weapons, including catapults.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with social media companies about the availability of content involving weapons, including catapults.
The Government has taken robust action to clamp down on illegal content online, including material involving weapons and animal cruelty.
Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must take proactive steps to reduce the risk of illegal content, including the promotion of harm to animals or the illegal use of weapons, and remove such content when identified.
Ofcom is responsible for enforcing compliance with these duties and has wide-ranging enforcement powers including issuing significant fines. We engage regularly with social media companies regarding their duties under the Online Safety Act.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle harmful online trends promoting the use of catapults to harm animals.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle harmful online trends promoting the use of catapults to harm animals.
The Government has taken robust action to clamp down on illegal content online, including material involving weapons and animal cruelty.
Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must take proactive steps to reduce the risk of illegal content, including the promotion of harm to animals or the illegal use of weapons, and remove such content when identified.
Ofcom is responsible for enforcing compliance with these duties and has wide-ranging enforcement powers including issuing significant fines. We engage regularly with social media companies regarding their duties under the Online Safety Act.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the misuse of home-made catapults.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the misuse of home-made catapults.
The Government shares concerns over the misuse of both manufactured and homemade catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.
There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies, including Dorset police, with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour, including involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).
Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. The definition of an ‘offensive weapon’ may include a catapult depending on the circumstances of the case.
Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, or the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales and there are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the misuse of catapults.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the misuse of catapults.
The Government shares concerns over the misuse of both manufactured and homemade catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.
There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies, including Dorset police, with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour, including involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).
Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. The definition of an ‘offensive weapon’ may include a catapult depending on the circumstances of the case.
Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, or the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales and there are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of incidents involving catapults in Dorset.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of incidents involving catapults in Dorset.
The Government shares concerns over the misuse of both manufactured and homemade catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.
There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies, including Dorset police, with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour, including involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).
Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. The definition of an ‘offensive weapon’ may include a catapult depending on the circumstances of the case.
Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, or the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales and there are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the use of catapults in antisocial behaviour incidents.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the use of catapults in antisocial behaviour incidents.
The Government shares concerns over the misuse of both manufactured and homemade catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.
There are a wide range of laws in place to punish those who misuse catapults. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies, including Dorset police, with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour, including involving catapults. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).
Under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, if a person carries an offensive weapon in a public place or threatens a person with an offensive weapon, they may face up to 4 years in prison. The definition of an ‘offensive weapon’ may include a catapult depending on the circumstances of the case.
Where a catapult is used to harm a person, under the Offences against the Person Act 1861, it could be charged as assault occasioning actual bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, or the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Specific to animals and birds, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales and there are a range of other offences found in further legislation to protect wild animals from cruelty such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
We have noted proposals for new restrictions, and we are actively considering what more might be done.
This briefing provides a short overview of firearms licensing laws in the UK, including recent calls to align shotgun and firearms licensing.
This briefing provides a short overview of firearms licensing laws in the UK, including recent calls to align shotgun and firearms licensing.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of laws to address cases in which parents or carers intentionally conceal, obscure, or fail to disclose a child’s procurement or possession of knives or other prohibited weapons.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of laws to address cases in which parents or carers intentionally conceal, obscure, or fail to disclose a child’s procurement or possession of knives or other prohibited weapons.
There is no existing standalone legal duty to compel a parent, carer or any other bystander to report any criminality, including the procurement or possession of knives and weapons.
Where parents are unable or unwilling to respond to potential safeguarding risk relating to knives, the strength of the system around the child (including schools, children’s services, police and youth justice) is vital in spotting concerns and linking children to support.
The Government keeps legislation around knives under constant review. We are clear that knives should not be sold to those under 18 and measures in the Crime and Policing Bill (currently going through Parliament) are strengthening the legislation in this area by introducing a new two-step age verification process for online sale and delivery of knives. This will require buyers to provide a copy of their identification document, alongside a current photo, which will be verified at the point of sale and on delivery. It will be unlawful to deliver a parcel containing a knife to anyone except the verified buyer or to leave it on the doorstep or with a neighbour.
We are also creating a new offence of possessing a knife with the intention to commit unlawful violence, a duty on sellers to report bulk sales, and giving the police a new power to seize knives when they believe they are likely to be used in connection with unlawful violence. Additionally, measures are being introduced to provide the police with the power to require social media, marketplaces, and search services to take down content about illegal knives and offensive weapons.
In relation to bringing forward new legislation, the Chair of the Southport Inquiry recommended that the Law Commission review the merits of legal reform to introduce a legal duty on specified categories of person to report the criminality of another person. The Government will provide a full response to the recommendations from the Phase 1 report by the summer 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider bringing forward legislation jointly with the Secretary of State for Justice to help tackle cases in which parents or carers knowingly conceal from law-enforcement authorities a child’s procurement or possession of knives or other prohibited weapons.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider bringing forward legislation jointly with the Secretary of State for Justice to help tackle cases in which parents or carers knowingly conceal from law-enforcement authorities a child’s procurement or possession of knives or other prohibited weapons.
There is no existing standalone legal duty to compel a parent, carer or any other bystander to report any criminality, including the procurement or possession of knives and weapons.
Where parents are unable or unwilling to respond to potential safeguarding risk relating to knives, the strength of the system around the child (including schools, children’s services, police and youth justice) is vital in spotting concerns and linking children to support.
The Government keeps legislation around knives under constant review. We are clear that knives should not be sold to those under 18 and measures in the Crime and Policing Bill (currently going through Parliament) are strengthening the legislation in this area by introducing a new two-step age verification process for online sale and delivery of knives. This will require buyers to provide a copy of their identification document, alongside a current photo, which will be verified at the point of sale and on delivery. It will be unlawful to deliver a parcel containing a knife to anyone except the verified buyer or to leave it on the doorstep or with a neighbour.
We are also creating a new offence of possessing a knife with the intention to commit unlawful violence, a duty on sellers to report bulk sales, and giving the police a new power to seize knives when they believe they are likely to be used in connection with unlawful violence. Additionally, measures are being introduced to provide the police with the power to require social media, marketplaces, and search services to take down content about illegal knives and offensive weapons.
In relation to bringing forward new legislation, the Chair of the Southport Inquiry recommended that the Law Commission review the merits of legal reform to introduce a legal duty on specified categories of person to report the criminality of another person. The Government will provide a full response to the recommendations from the Phase 1 report by the summer 2026.