Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Knife Crime: West Midlands

14 March 2023 · 7 other contributors · 4,655 words

Opened by Suzanne Webb Con Stourbridge

Responding minister: Chris Philp

Policing & ResourcesCrime & Law Enforcement

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Suzanne Webb raised concerns about knife crime: west midlands in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Ryan Passey was stabbed to death and the perpetrator was acquitted, causing distress to Passey's family and community.
  • The West Midlands experienced an increase in knife crime, with 7,257 possession of weapons incidents annually, up 496% since 2012.
  • The debate called for stronger social media regulations and mechanisms to appeal wrongful acquittals to address knife crime.

Key requests to Government

I call for stronger measures against social media that perpetuates knife crime and better mechanisms for appealing wrongful acquittals. I also urge the police and crime commissioner and West Midlands Police to take immediate steps to prevent more lives from being lost to knife crime.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Suzanne Webb Con Stourbridge

Ryan Passey was stabbed to death in a nightclub and the perpetrator, Kobe Murray, walked free after an acquittal. This has devastated Ryan's family, who have been fighting for justice for five years. The community of Stourbridge has also experienced other fatal stabbings recently, including Cody Fisher and Akeem Francis-Kerr. West Midlands police recorded 152 knife crime offences per 100,000 people in the past year, up from a possession of weapons increase of 496% since 2012 to 7,257 incidents annually.

Other contributors (7)
  • Chris Loder Con West Worcestershire

    The hon. Member for Stourbridge highlighted the issue of Ryan Passey's death and called for early intervention, with community groups taking a lead in tackling knife crime.

  • James Morris Con Halesowen and Rowley Regis

    The hon. Member for Stourbridge suggested that Andy Street should take on the role of police and crime commissioner as well as mayor, and emphasized the need to focus on fixing knife crime beyond politics.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Congratulates the hon. Lady for bringing knife crime to debate, citing Northern Ireland's statistics on murders, manslaughters, attempted murders and threats involving knives; suggests increased minimum sentencing is necessary.

  • Kate Kniveton

    Mentions the Street Whyze Project in her constituency, which has been doing knife crime awareness sessions; argues for more education and early intervention to prevent young people from carrying weapons.

  • Marco Longhi

    Critiques the current police and crime commissioner's lack of visibility and engagement with communities; suggests the commissioner is not addressing issues adequately. Marco Longhi emphasised the need for police infrastructure such as a base or station, questioning why there is no brand-new police station in Dudley despite promises made in 2019. He pointed out that this issue affects where new police officers can operate from.

  • Saqib Bhatti Con Meriden and Solihull East

    Supports the debate on knife crime, citing a report showing higher burglaries under any Labour police and crime commissioner; questions the effectiveness of having a PCC.

  • Wendy Morton Con Aldridge-Brownhills

    Appreciates the hon. Friend's debate on knife crime, mentions lack of support from the police and crime commissioner; highlights work done by the James Brindley Foundation. The Minister is rightly naming a number of individuals, including James Brindley—the son of Mark and Bev Brindley—who was stabbed to death in Aldridge. Wendy Morton highlighted the work being done by the James Brindley Foundation.

Government Response

Chris Philp

It is a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of Dame Caroline Dinenage and I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge, Suzanne Webb, for securing this debate. The Minister acknowledges the tragic deaths of Ryan Passey, Cody Fisher, Bailey Atkinson, Akeem Francis-Kerr, Olly Stephens, and James Brindley, expressing deepest sympathy to their families. He highlights the Government's commitment to combating serious violence through recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers across England and Wales by the end of March 2023. The Minister also mentions that over £500 million extra will be given to police and crime commissioners next year, urging against any unnecessary closures of police stations in the West Midlands. He notes a significant decrease in violent crime nationally since 2010, but expresses concern about rising knife crime in the west midlands. The Minister discusses investments in prevention through violence reduction units receiving £64 million, the Grip programme for hotspot policing, and strengthened sentencing laws to deter knife possession with sentences ranging from four years' imprisonment up to a minimum six-month custodial sentence for repeat offenders. He directs Suzanne Webb towards Justice Ministers regarding policy issues related to Ryan Passey's trial and acquittal, emphasizing that retrials or quashing of an acquittal are rare but possible under exceptional circumstances. The Minister concludes by commending efforts to address knife crime and expresses the Home Office's commitment to working with MPs to fight this issue.

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