Knife crime will be dealt with by a combination of "enforcement, prevention and prosecution" the Prime Minister has said.

Addressing journalists at his regular monthly press conference, the Prime Minister insisted that those carrying knives were more likely to be caught and face punishment now than ever before.

"Let us be clear, if you carry a knife our objective and determination is that you will be caught; you will be prosecuted; you will be punished," the PM said.

"But we want to do all in our power also to prevent anyone carrying a knife in the first place.

"I accept that as long as young people, or any person, feels unsafe in our streets and our neighbourhoods the job is not done and a huge amount is still to be done. And that's why we are toughening up punishment, toughening up enforcement and toughening up prevention"

Mr Brown said community sentences were being strengthened to make them "tough, visible and effective" and that the Government would do more to prevent youngsters falling into crime.

"What I want to see is anybody who is using a knife goes to prison; anybody who is carrying a knife is subject to either prison or a strong community payback that forces them to give service to the community."

The Home Office is planning to release a Green Paper on policing later this week that will deal with the issue of red tape in police work, allowing more officers to return to front line policing. Ministers will also be unveiling the Youth Crime Action Plan tomorrow.