Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an assessment has been made by her Department of the impact of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 on (a) shop staff and (b) other public-facing workers.

The Government is clear that violence and abuse towards any worker is not acceptable. We introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The aggravating factor applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This legislative change ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.

As Minister for Crime and Policing, I chair the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG), this group is co-chaired by the British Retail Consortium. It brings together Government, the retail industry and law enforcement to develop our response to retail crime.

Crime surveys undertaken by the retail trade associations, such as the Association of Convenience Stores, the British Retail Consortium and USDAW are valuable sources of information and help to shape the discussion at the NRCSG.

The next meeting of the NRCSG will take place on 17 July and members will discuss the impact of the statutory aggravating factor for assault offences committed against retail workers and other public facing workers.

The Home Office has facilitated a number of task and finish groups, comprising members of the NRCSG. Recently these have aimed to encourage retailers to engage with their local Business Crime Reduction Partnership to work with police and support local efforts to reduce crimes like shoplifting, and how powers in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 can be used to tackle prolific offending in retail settings, building on guidance already provided by the National Business Crime Centre. These crimes are most effectively tackled when retailers and local policing teams work together.