Possession of weapons (police-recorded) during the Coalition 2010–2015 government
Year ending March 2010 → Year ending March 2015 · 5 periods
↓ 23.9%−6,868 offences
Possession of weapons (police-recorded) fell by 23.9% over the period, from 28,758 offences (Year ending March 2010, the level when the government took office) to 21,890 (Year ending March 2015, the last complete period before it left office).
Inherited level Year ending March 2010: 28,758
Level when it left Year ending March 2015: 21,890
method: latest complete period before start / before end
Changes during this period do not by themselves show what the government caused. Statistics reflect many influences, including earlier decisions, the economy and how the data is collected.
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value
Definition and caveats
Police-recorded offences of possessing a weapon, including knives and firearms, in England and Wales in a 12-month period.
Doesn’t measure: Offences where a weapon was used, which are counted under violence or robbery, or the level of weapon carrying; these offences are mostly found through police activity.