Weapons confiscated outside Parliament - 2020-21

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.022519

I note you seek access to the following information:

Please tell me how many weapons were seized by police at the entrance to Parliament in 2020-21.

Can you please break down by type of weapon - e.g. 20 knives, 2 gas canisters, 4 batons, etc.?

Finally, please provide me with the dimensions of the five longest knives confiscated - e.g. 10 inch hunting knife, 4 inch swiss army knife.

Clarified and redefined on 21/01/2022

Yes, I would be happy to receive the results of the more limited search you have suggested.

Decision

Following a review of the CRIS records returned in relation to your request, I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - Please tell me how many weapons were seized by police at the entrance to Parliament in 2020-21.

The total number of weapons seized by police at the entrance to Parliament from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021 was 25

Q2 - Can you please break down by type of weapon - e.g. 20 knives, 2 gas canisters, 4 batons, etc.?

The type of weapons seized were as follows:

21 Knives
4 Incapacitant Sprays

Q3 - Finally, please provide me with the dimensions of the five longest knives confiscated - e.g. 10 inch hunting knife, 4 inch swiss army knife.

The dimensions of the five longest knives were all as follows:

9 centimetres (x2)
3 inches (x3)

As previously stated, this data was extracted from the Crime Reporting Information System (CRIS) SAP BI system for the above two-year period. Please also note the following search criteria used:

Offences with the current Home Office Major Category of 'Possession of Weapons' were searched for and the returned data was then filtered using the Venue Address field, to limit to offences with a recorded address involving the Houses of Parliament, Parliamentary Estate, Palace of Westminster, House of Commons, and House of Lords.

To then determine the exact location of the offence, type of weapon seized and the dimensions of the longest knives confiscated, each crime record was read.