Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders on how to protect all public-facing workers from abuse in their workplaces.

Public facing workers are covered under legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which covers serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

The Government 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.

Retail workers will be specifically covered by a new offence which we are introducing via the Crime and Policing Bill. We have been in contact with a range of stakeholders across industries, including transport and hospitality to reiterate that violence and abuse towards any worker will not be tolerated.