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Business question from Lord Coaker (Labour) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 28 February 2019. It occurred during Business statement on Business of the House.


Business of the House

I know that the Leader of the House gets this, but could she have another go at the Home Secretary? Will she ask him if

he can yet again come to this House and explain to us what he is doing about the knife epidemic in this country? Since the serious violence statement last Monday, nine young people—some of them young adults—have been slaughtered on our streets by knife stabbings. I know that the Leader of the House finds this appalling, as does every Member, but we should be discussing it in the House. This morning, we heard the announcement that 27,000 young people, including children, are in gangs in this country. That is four times the number that the authorities knew about. We have not got a clue. What does the Home Secretary have to say about that? When is he going to come to the House and tell us what he is going to do about this issue and what urgency the Government are going to bring to it? I say again that Cobra should be meeting to discuss it. Cobra meets for other national emergencies, and this is a national emergency. It is a crisis, and it should be treated as such by the Home Secretary and the Government.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
655 c532 
Session
2017-19
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Children Crimes of violence Knives Young people Gangs
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on hansard.parliament.uk