Ministers to review knife laws

The Government is to examine ways of strengthening the law on possessing knives in the wake of a string of vicious stabbings, the Home Office has announced.

Speculation had been rife that Home Secretary John Reid was considering increasing the jail term for those caught carrying a knife from two to five years.

Mr Reid met his ministerial team to discuss the nationwide knife amnesty as well as the enforcement and education campaign police forces will be leading after June 30.

"A decision on sentencing will be made before the Violent Crime Reduction Bill reaches its next stage in the Lords."