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Offensive Weapons: Electronic Commerce

Answer

Zombie-Style knives and machetes were banned from sale and possession on 24 September 2024. Under new provisions in the Crime and Policing Act 2026, anyone caught selling or possessing such a weapon, where a legal defence does not apply, may face up to 2 years imprisonment, a fine, or both. The provisions in the 2026 Act will be brought into force shortly.

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 will also provide the police with the power to issue content removal notices to require social media companies, online marketplaces, and search services to remove unlawful knife and offensive weapons content.  Failure to remove this content could result in both the company and a designated senior executive facing significant penalties. This meets the Government’s manifesto commitment to hold the senior executives of online companies accountable for flouting the rules around online knife sales.

The Government is also providing £2m funding in 2026/07 to the new police unit, the National Knife Crime Centre (NKCC), to tackle the illegal online sale of knives. The NKCC coordinates policing activities and investigations into unlawful online knife and offensive weapons sales. It also acts as a coordination point for industry, including retailers, online companies, Ofcom and Trading Standards. The Centre will also provide the coordinating function for policing for the provisions in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 for the reporting of bulk online sales of knives and the issuing of content removal notices to online companies and platforms to remove unlawful knife and weapons sales content.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

22406

Session

2026-27

Grouped for answer

Yes

Subjects

Electronic commerce Offensive weapons

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk