SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson has warned against complacency in the battle to keep Scotland’s schools safe.
The Moray MP was asked whether the Scottish Government should be looking at changes to the law relating to the sale of knives in the aftermath of the Bailey Gwynne stabbing.
The teenager’s attacker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was cleared of murder at the High Court in Aberdeen this week, but convicted of his culpable homicide.
During the trial, the jury heard the boy carried weapons with him “every day” to school and had previously been warned about the dangers of doing so.
It also emerged he had bought the knife used in the stabbing for £40 online without having to provide his age.
At a Westminster briefing, Mr Robertson told the Press and Journal: “It is a tragic case and government always has to keep the law under review to make sure the streets and our schools are as safe as possible.”
He pointed to falling knife crime levels, but added: “That in no way signals that government – whether in Scotland or the rest of UK – should be in anyway complacent about measures that can be introduced to keep our streets and schools safer.”
The Scottish Government welcomed the multi-agency review that is to take place into the circumstances of Bailey’s death.
It has said it will consider whether there are lessons to be learned from the incident “in the fullness of time”.
But there are currently no plans to amend the law relating to the sale of knives in Scotland.
At the moment, it is illegal to sell knives or similar products with blades or points to anyone under the age of 18.
It is, however, legal to sell cutlery and kitchen knives to those aged 16 and over.
During a visit to Aberdeen after the fatal attack, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon refused to rule out the introduction of metal detectors in schools.
She said she did not want youngsters “surrounded by security”, adding she was “not convinced that is something we should rush to do”.
But she added: “We equally shouldn’t rule things out.”
