Weird timing for this article. I'm not sure if it is old or not, but certainly David Blunkett was kicked out of office earlier in December (he had an affair with a married woman and hurried along a visa for the nanny of their illegitimate child).
As to banning the selling of blades over four inches in length to minors - I'm not too concerned with this. We don't let them vote, we don't let them drink, etc. You don't get full rights till you reach the age of majority and in the UK that is 18. We have real problems at the moment with kids stabbing each other (I am a govenor of a school here and can vouch for this).... I am going to wait to see the actual wording of the legislation before I criticise this one too much.
Armed teachers, staff, and any other adult who wishes to be, ought to solve that knife problem. It's done wonders for Israeli schools. After a few of those punks got blown away, I'm sure things would settle right down. The remaining students, would probably become a lot more attentive in class too. ;)
Banning knife sales to minors, will only stop the good kids from buying them. The ones with criminal intentions will ignore the "ban", and buy them on the street, or steal them. This article is at the top of the list at AF.com, so I'd guess it's for Dec., or January.