Increasing Funding for the No Knives, Better Lives Campaign

That the Parliament notes with concern reports of a recorded increase in crimes of possession of knives and other pointed weapons since 2017-18; understands that there were 2,582 knife, or other pointed weapon, crimes where the weapon was not used in another offence recorded in 2023-24; believes that this represents an increase from the 2,140 crimes in this category recorded in 2017-18; acknowledges that there were 2,137 such crimes recorded in 2023-24, which represents an increase from the 1,595 crimes in this category recorded in 2017-18; recognises what it sees as growing public concern regarding knife crime, especially after recent incidents involving young people; understands that the No Knives, Better Lives campaign has reached over 100,000 young people across Scotland and has been credited with a 85% reduction in the number of young people convicted of handling an offensive weapon since 2008-09; expresses its concern that funding for the No Knives, Better Lives campaign has seen a reported 12% real-terms reduction since 2022-23, and urges the Scottish Government to increase funding for the No Knives, Better Lives campaign given what it sees as the campaign’s previous success in helping to reduce knife and other pointed weapon crime among young people across Scotland.