Retail Trade: Crimes of Violence

(asked on 26th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing tougher sentences for people attacking shopworkers; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Victoria Atkins Portrait
Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This question was answered on 1st April 2019

All forms of retail crime are unacceptable, and everyone has the right to feel safe at work.

I chair the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) which brings together partners including the police, trade bodies – including the Associ-ation of Convenience Stores - and retailers and is overseeing a range of work to tackle retail crime. This includes the collation and dissemination of good practice and developing guidance on the use of Impact Statements for Business, which give victims of business crime the opportunity to set out the impact the crime has had on the business, including, for example, financial loss. The NRCSG also continues to work with retailers to improve the management and response to shop theft using a partnership ap-proach according to local circumstances.

On 21 January I announced that we will launch a call for evidence on violence and abuse towards shop workers to strengthen our understanding of this issue, including how existing legislation is being applied.

In addition, the Sentencing Council is reviewing its guidelines on assault and a consultation on a revised guideline is anticipated to commence this Summer.

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