Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department offers to retail businesses to mitigate risks associated with lone working.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for regulation of workplace health and safety in Great Britain. The primary responsibility for managing risk to health and safety lies with employers. An employer is the person or organisation that is legally responsible, under health and safety law, for managing and controlling risks created by their work activities. It is for the employer to determine the best way to manage those risks taking account of the circumstances of their business and work activity.

There may be greater risks for lone workers without direct supervision or someone to help them if things go wrong, and an employer must identify the risks to lone workers and put control measures in place to protect them. HSE provides guidance on lone working: Lone working: Protect those working alone - HSE which includes advice on violence in the workplace.

HSE has not made an assessment of the Co-op’s Project Lunar.