Written question asked by Lord Campbell of Alloway (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Neville-Jones (Conservative) on Thursday, 5 May 2011.

Crime: Gun Crime

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical steps have been taken to seek to inhibit commission of gang culture gun crimes.

Answer: The Government are committed to tackling violent crime including gang-related violence. Combining early intervention work with tough enforcement and empowering local communities to prevent the spread of violence will be crucial to these efforts. £18 million has been made available by the Home Office over two years to tackle gang gun and knife violence. Gang injunctions were introduced as a civil tool, in January 2011, to allow the police or a local authority to apply to a county court (or the High Court) for an injunction against an individual who has been involved in gang-related violence. Courts may place a range of prohibitions and requirements on an individual, including those that prohibit the person from being in a particular place or that require them to participate in rehabilitative activities.

Secondary information