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<p>Tackling knife crime is a priority for the Government. Our Modern Crime Prevention
Strategy published in March 2016 set out a range of measures to strengthen our response
to knife crime. Our work to tackle knife crime is centred on four key strands – working
with the police on operations and enforcement, work on legislative framework, work
with retailers on responsible sales, and early intervention and prevention.</p><p>
</p><p>We are taking firm action including encouraging police forces to undertake
a series of coordinated national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation
Sceptre. The operation includes targeting habitual knife carriers, weapon sweeps,
test purchases of knives from identified retailers, and the use of surrender bins.
The Home Office hosted a national briefing event for police forces on Operation Sceptre
on 14 June and a record twenty nine police forces are expected to be involved in the
next week of action planned for mid July.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are responsible
for assessing need for youth services and allocating funding. The Government is supporting
local authorities and the youth sector by investing to help youth organisations demonstrate
their impact. The Government is investing in the National Citizen Service, investing
up to £80 million through the ‘# iwill’ social action campaign and ‘Youth Investment
Funds’ to help young people develop skills, improve their wellbeing and contribute
to their communities. The Government is also investing in the ‘Delivering Differently
for Young People’ programme, which helped local authorities develop new models for
delivering on their statutory duty to provide positive activities for young people.</p>
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