Quote:

Home Office Consultation on Licensing for Knife Sales

I am responding on behalf of Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association (HBSA) as Chairman.

HBSA is a member of the British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC) of which I am a Vice Chairman..

The HBSA gave input to, and concur with, the BSSC response which follows below. 

We are concerned that some questions may implicitly assume acceptance of a licensing scheme, which is why we respond by email to avoid any doubt.

We wish to highlight critical risks arising from the Home Office consultation on licensing knife sellers and importers, and to set out why we believe that the current proposals are unlikely to be able to deliver improved public safety.

We would also add that there is already legislation in force to control knives. A number of our members and other collectors may collect antique and heritage items including bayonets and knives which have both a heritage and monetary value and do not feature notably in knife crime.  

Key Points 

1. Police Capacity – Risk of System Failure
   Police licensing units are already operating under severe pressure. Introducing a large-scale knife licensing regime—alongside further demands within existing licensing systems—risks overwhelming capacity and causing a systemic failure in delivery. A licensing framework that cannot be administered consistently and in timely fashion undermines enforcement, public confidence, and safety.
2. Misaligned Focus on Knife Crime
   Most serious knife-related offences involve domestic or kitchen knives, which are excluded from the proposed licensing scheme. As drafted, the consultation focuses regulatory effort on categories of knives that are not the primary drivers of serious violence, limiting the policy’s likely impact on public safety.
3. Impact on Heavily Regulated, Compliant Sectors
   Many legitimate retailers, including Registered Firearms Dealers, already operate under extensive regulatory oversight. Adding a further licensing layer for knives risks creating unworkable bureaucracy, diverting police resources, and penalising compliant businesses without delivering measurable public safety benefits.
4. Data and Recent Trends
   Recent official data indicates a reduction in overall knife crime over the past two years. If current policing strategies are contributing to this trend, Government should prioritise sustaining and expanding those effective interventions rather than introducing broad new licensing regimes with uncertain impact.

BSSC Assessment

• The consultation lacks a clear evidential link between proposed licensing measures and reduced knife crime
• Enforcement and administrative capacity have not been realistically assessed
• Policy risks being expanded in areas that do not address the principal sources of harm

BSSC Recommendations

• Reassess the evidential basis for licensing knife sellers and importers
• Align policy with the actual drivers of knife crime
• Ensure any regulatory framework is deliverable within existing policing capacity
• Focus resources on interventions proven to reduce violence

Conclusion

Knife crime demands focused, evidence-led action. The current proposals risk expanding regulation without delivering commensurate public safety benefits, while placing unsustainable pressure on policing and compliant sectors. Focus on application of current legislation and societal issues would seem preferable. 

The Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association (HBSA) and British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC) stand ready to engage constructively with Government to assist with developing proportionate and effective solutions to reducing the level of knife crime. 

Derek Stimpson

chairman@hbsa-uk.org

07720813989