Written Question

Crimes of Violence: Retail Trade

Wednesday 21st February 2024

Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will discuss attacks on employees in the retail sector at the next meeting of the National Retail Crime Steering Group.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is clear that violent and abusive behaviour towards any worker, particularly those who provide a valuable service to the public, is never acceptable.

The National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG), which I co-chair alongside the British Retail Consortium, ensures the response to retail crime is as robust as it can be. The NRCSG meets quarterly and comprises senior representatives from policing, the retail sector, retail trade associations, security providers and Government departments. Violence and abuse towards retail workers will be discussed at the next NRCSG.

In October, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Retail Crime Action Plan was launched, which includes a commitment to prioritise police attendance at the scene where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel. These are substantial commitments, and I will use the NRCSG to hold police to account, whilst also ensuring retailers are playing their part by providing evidence of shoplifting and violence and abuse to police.

In 2022, the Government took the significant step to introduce a statutory aggravating factor for assault against those who are serving the public. Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 means the public facing nature of a victim’s role will be considered an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing for assault offences, allowing the court to give a longer sentence within the statutory maximum for the offence.

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Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Home Office

Feb. 20 2024

Source Page: Immigration Rules archive: 28 December 2023 to 15 January 2024
Document: Immigration Rules archive: 28 December 2023 to 15 January 2024 (PDF)

Found: (retail trade) • Retail manager • Shop manager (charitable organisation) • Wholesale manager

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Select Committee

Anti-slavery International, World Uyghur Congress, and Forced Labour Lab, Sheffield Hallam University

Oral Evidence Feb. 06 2024

Committee: Foreign Affairs Committee (Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Found: violence.

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Select Committee

Anti-slavery International, World Uyghur Congress, and Forced Labour Lab, Sheffield Hallam University

Oral Evidence Feb. 06 2024

Committee: Foreign Affairs Committee (Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Found: violence.

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Select Committee

Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, Protection Approaches, and Doughty Street Chambers

Oral Evidence Feb. 06 2024

Committee: Foreign Affairs Committee (Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Found: violence.

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Select Committee

Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, Protection Approaches, and Doughty Street Chambers

Oral Evidence Feb. 06 2024

Committee: Foreign Affairs Committee (Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Found: violence.

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Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Home Office

Feb. 06 2024

Source Page: Immigration Rules archive: 16 January 2024 to 30 January 2024
Document: Immigration Rules archive: 16 January 2024 to 30 January 2024 (PDF)

Found: (retail trade) • Retail manager • Shop manager (charitable organisation) • Wholesale manager

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Select Committee

Home Office, Home Office, and Home Office

Oral Evidence Jan. 31 2024

Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)

Found: With a lot of the hidden harm-type crimes —domestic violence, child sexual exploitation and rape, for

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