Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of reports that some police forces will not send an officer to investigate in cases of shoplifting of goods worth less than £100, whether they intend to legislate to confer the full powers of a police constable on private security guards in retail premises.

We do not have any plans to legislate to confer the full powers of police constables on private security guards working in retail premises. However, we recognise the valuable role that the private security industry and others, such as locally employed business wardens, can have in helping to prevent and deter shoplifting.