Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance hisDepartment has issued to businesses on violence within the retail work place; and if he will make a statement.

Violence is unacceptable wherever it takes place, and violence or abuse against retail staff should not be tolerated. We encourage all victims, including shop workers, to report these crimes to the police whenever they occur so that they can be recorded and investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.

Through the National Retail Crime Steering Group, we are working with our partners across government, the police and in the retail sector to explore what more can be done to prevent and tackle violence and abuse against retail staff. This includes sharing best practice and exploring whether there is more to be done to ensure consistency in training and in the reporting and response to these crimes, and whether there are additional steps that retailers can take to help reduce the risk of violence.