There was much hysteria about this in Scotland recently where I took part in the public consultation for the so-called "sword ban".
I was amazed at how poorly worded the draft regulation was - and how stupid.
It's definition of sword (for example) could have effectively banned Fencing, Kendo - in fact any martial art, or sport, which used a sword-like implement - and re-enactmant group which used swords (quite important in the tourism industry). Thankfully that provision was effectively dropped.
One point that they still haven't addressed is the 'knife question'. I remember seeing a news item on it which will illustrate my point. A chief inspector stated that if someone wanted to buy a knife to use legally then that person would be happy to wait for 2-weeks for the knife to be posted to him.
This neglected a couple of points.
Anyone who wanted to use a knife "wilfully" would be happy to wait for 2 weeks and can easily get around such a device. A criminal who was going to deliberately use a knife in a crime is going to use a knife in a crime... As a judge I discussed this with pointed out "there is plenty of provision within the law to deal with this - why exactly we need another one is beyond me".
You don't need to use a knife to stab somene. A screwdriver makes a particualrly effective stilletto - I suppose we should wait 2 weeks for them as well.
And why knives? Why not put a 2 week limit on golf clubs, baseball bats or cricket bats?
I never got a satisfactory answer to my questions and the bill has moved on now. I've still got the feedback document somewhere - which makes for interesting reading stating, as it does, that the [scottish] public thought that the Bill was a waste of time.
It's sad state of affairs when governments appear to jump at everything they are told is a 'problem'.
