Dr Julian Lewis: Was the Minister as pleased as I was to read in the Daily Telegraph on 3 December 2012 the following quote from a Government Minister:

“New measures are planned to cut the number of criminals who carry knives”?

Is this a welcome sign that we now have a Government who are willing to make the punishment fit the crime?

[The Minister of State, Home Department (Mr Jeremy Browne): Knife crime is, of course, of great concern to communities across the country, because its impact can be devastating for victims and their families. We are working hard to try to reduce the number of knives, including specific measures to that effect.]