Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of retail theft reports have resulted in a charge in each of the last 10 years.

The latest Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates showed that on a like for like basis crime has fallen by 56% since 2010.

Retail crime, including shoplifting and violence and abuse, is not acceptable and the Government takes this issue very seriously. I expect police to take a zero-tolerance approach to it.

Whilst the downward trend in charge rates is concerning, I welcome the 29% increase in charges for shop lifting offences in the latest statistics.

The Home Office routinely publish statistics on crimes recorded and charges and is the latest information can be accessed via the links below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/crime-outcomes-in-england-and-wales-2022-to-2023/crime-outcomes-in-england-and-wales-2022-to-2023#outcomes-assigned-to-offences-recorded-in-the-year-ending-31-march-2023

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables