Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle violence and abuse experienced by shop workers; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Last year the Home Office ran a call for evidence, to understand further the issue of violence and abuse toward shop workers and the measures which may help prevent these crimes. The Government published a response to the Call for Evidence on Violence and Abuse Toward Shop Staff in July. Action the Government is taking to reduce violence and abuse experienced by shop workers is set out in the response, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/violence-and-abuse-toward-shop-staff-call-for-evidence
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that garment manufacturers in Leicester work with trade unions to set employee terms and conditions.
Answered by Paul Scully
We are deeply concerned by reports of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers in Leicester.
Collective bargaining is largely a matter for individual employers, their employees and their trade unions. The Government encourages employers to engage with their workforce’s representatives, whether these be union or non-union representatives.
The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and Leicester City Council, both members of the Taskforce that has been established in response to the allegations of labour abuse in Leicester, have engaged with the TUC on the issues in the garment trade. We are also working with industry through the Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol, a partnership between enforcement bodies and industry partners – including the British Retail Consortium, UK Fashion and the Textile Association – aimed at tackling all forms of labour exploitation in the garment trade
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the exploitation of people working in UK garment factories.
Answered by Paul Scully
In light of the very serious recent allegations of illegal and unsafe working conditions for garment workers in Leicester, a multi-agency Taskforce, led by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has been set up in Leicester to enable the relevant enforcement bodies to work together at pace to take appropriate action against unscrupulous employers and individuals who exploit workers. The taskforce includes: HMRC National Minimum Wage; Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate (BEIS); Leicestershire Police; National Crime Agency; Leicester City Council; Department for Work and Pensions and Immigration Enforcement (Home Office). The Taskforce has identified around 200 businesses and premises for investigation and is conducting a programme of site visits.
We are also working with industry through the Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol, a partnership between enforcement bodies and industry partner – including the British Retail Consortium, UK Fashion and the Textile Association – aimed at tackling all forms of labour exploitation in the garment trade.
The Government is committed to improving enforcement of employment rights. We have announced the intention to introduce a Single Enforcement Body, which will provide a clearer route for workers to raise a complaint and get support, enabling more coordinated enforcement action and the use of pooled intelligence to better target proactive enforcement.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date she plans to publish the call for evidence on violence and abuse toward shop staff.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
During the Westminster Hall debate on 11 February, I committed to publish the Government response to the call for evidence on violence and abuse towards shopworkers by the end of March 2020. Unfortunately, given the current circumstances, the Government must focus its communications on tackling Covid-19. Therefore, the publication of the Government response is delayed. I am, however, keen to publish it as soon as I am able to.
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish a response to her Department's call for evidence on abuse and violence towards shop staff; and if she will bring forward legislative proposals to make assaults against retail workers aggravated.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government recognises the damaging impact that violence and abuse can have on victims, businesses, and the wider community; and we are committed to tackling this issue. Any incident of violent or abusive behaviour towards retail workers is completely unacceptable and especially so in current circumstances during the covid-19 outbreak. Everyone has the right to feel safe at work.
The Government does not hold data on the number of incidents of abusive or violent behaviour towards retail workers during the covid-19 outbreak period, however the Home Office is working closely with police and retail industry to monitor and understand these types of incidents during the current period.
We launched a call for evidence on violence and abuse toward shop staff to help strengthen our understanding of the scale and extent of the issue. The call for evidence has now closed and my intention had been to publish the Government response before the end of March. As the Government must focus its communications on tackling covid-19, the publication of the Government response has been delayed and will be published in due course.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has plans to (a) make an assessment of the level of attacks on retail workers and (b) review the effectiveness of sanctions for perpetrators of such attacks.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government recognises the devastating impact that violence and abuse can have, not only for victims, but also for businesses, and the wider community. This is why it is vital that we continue to work closely with retailers, the police and others to tackle these crimes.
The Home Office Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS) is a survey of the extent of crime against business premises in England and Wales and includes a specific focus on crimes against wholesale and retail premises. Compared to the 2016 survey results, the 2017 CVS showed a statistically significant increase in assaults and threats (up from 524 incidents per 1,000 premises to 1,433 incidents per 1,000 premises).
To address this issue I chair the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) which brings together partners including the police, trade bodies and retailers and oversees a range of work to tackle retail crime, including violence and abuse towards shop workers.
In addition, on 5 April the Home Office launched a call for evidence on violence and abuse towards shop staff. The aim of this work is to strengthen our understanding of the issue, including how existing legislation is being applied. The call for evidence closes on 28 June.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to support convenience retailers in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle constituency that have lost an estimated £152,829 due to shop theft in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
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 Association 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 approach 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.
Asked by: Rehman Chishti (Conservative - Gillingham and Rainham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to support convenience retailers in Gillingham and Rainham from shop theft; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
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 Association 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 approach according to local circumstances.
On 5 April Government launched 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.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to support convenience retailers in Denton and Reddish that have lost an estimated £123,303 from shop theft; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
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 Association 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 approach 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 due to consult on a revised guideline on assault in the summer.
Where shop theft involves anti-social behaviour, local areas may use the tools provided for by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Where appropriate, this may include the Community Remedy, which gives victims of low-level crime and anti-social behaviour a say in the punishment of perpetrators who receive an out of court punishment, and the Community Trigger, which gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the ability to request a formal case review.
The powers are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the circumstances. The Home Office keeps use of the powers under review through an Anti-social Behaviour Strategic Board which brings together key partners.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Association of Convenience Stores Crime Report 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
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 Association 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 approach 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 due to consult on a revised guideline on assault in the summer.
Where shop theft involves anti-social behaviour, local areas may use the tools provided for by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Where appropriate, this may include the Community Remedy, which gives victims of low-level crime and anti-social behaviour a say in the punishment of perpetrators who receive an out of court punishment, and the Community Trigger, which gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the ability to request a formal case review.
The powers are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the circumstances. The Home Office keeps use of the powers under review through an Anti-social Behaviour Strategic Board which brings together key partners.