British police shot dead a man brandishing two knives near parliament in central London, officers said on Monday, adding that the incident was not terror-related.

The Metropolitan Police said officers on patrol at about 11:25 pm (2325 GMT) on Sunday noticed a man they believed was behaving suspiciously.

"Officers challenged the man who produced two knives. Armed officers responded. Taser and a police firearm were discharged during the incident," it said in a statement.

"London Ambulance Service attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene... The incident is not being treated as terrorism."

The police said the shooting took place near Great Scotland Yard, an area housing government departments.

Britain has been in the grip of a debate about rising knife crime, particularly in London, and two recent attacks in the capital had raised fears of terror attacks.

In February, two people were stabbed on a busy high street in the Streatham area of south London. In November last year, two people were killed in the London Bridge area.

On both occasions, the attackers were wearing fake suicide vests.

Security has also been tightened around Britain's parliament at Westminster after an attack in 2017 that killed five people on Westminster Bridge.