Public Disorder: Business Damage

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts

Tuesday 13th September 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox]

I am only too delighted to confirm to my noble friend that this is something that the Government are looking at. These are not victimless crimes, particularly for small, family businesses, which are almost afraid to open up again. A lot of work is being done in this area. I have spoken with my noble friend Lady Browning, the Home Office Minister, who has responsibility for crime prevention. In the next few weeks, the Home Office will be releasing an improved self-assessment tool for businesses to identify their vulnerabilities, providing practical advice for how those can be overcome. That will be available through the Business Link website and, to comfort my noble friend, I shall stay in contact with him on any other areas that develop well

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon]

My Lords, when the commission, which was appointed by the Prime Minister, and of which my noble friend Lady Sherlock, I am proud to say, is a member, goes round the country, will it take evidence from businesses as well as from those who were affected in other ways by the riots? Does the noble Baroness know whether the commission will be going to areas which were not themselves affected by the riots but which potentially could have been affected? Many people up and down the country will have views on the reasons behind the riots and it is important that their views are listened to.

[Baroness Wilcox]

Pretty well anything that the noble Baroness could suggest today that we might do to reassure people all around the country, particularly in small high streets where the businesses are not run by great consortiums but by people who have been made very nervous, I will take away. I do not know whether they are looking at all of that at the moment. However, at the core of everything that we are doing is an understanding. We have been called a nation of small shopkeepers, and this is what the Question is about. We will make sure that we do our best for them.