Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Government funding has been provided for tackling teenage knife crime in each year since publication of the Kinsella Review in February 2011.

Norman Baker

On 2 February 2011, Official Report, column 46WS, the Home Secretary announced
£18 million funding to tackle knife, gun and gang crime. The funding was given
to police, local agencies and the voluntary sector to tackle serious youth
violence and prevent young people
entering a cycle of crime. This funding addressed issues of gang and youth
violence including knife crime.
The two year funding supported enforcement and prevention work by police in
three knife crime hotspot areas, alongside positive activities for young people
and local work to bring about long-term changes in attitudes and behaviours.
The money included up to:
• £3.75 million (£2 million in 2011-12 and £1.75 million in 2012-13) for the
three police forces areas where more than half of the country’s knife crime occurs –
the Metropolitan Police Service, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands.
• £4 million (£2 million in 2011-12 and £1.75 million in 2012-13 ) for a
‘communities against gangs, guns and knives’ fund – for local voluntary organisations across
England and Wales working with young people to stop involvement in knife and
gang violence.
• £10 million for prevention and diversionary activities and engagement with
young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, including knife related violence
• £1million to support the development of anti-knife, gun and gang crime
materials for schools and a good practice website to enable local projects to share
knowledge and expertise. About 280 practitioners are now sharing information
through the Knowledge Hub set up in the Local Government Association website.
• £250,000 for 2011-12 of the Ben Kinsella Fund (in addition to the £250,000
provided for 2010-11) for young people to run anti-knife crime projects in their local
area.