Asked by: Tom Hunt (Conservative - Ipswich)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of theft from shops in Suffolk.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office works closely with retailers and trade associations such as the British Retail Consortium (BRC), Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), and police partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to understand the crime trends retailers are experiencing and to work together to tackle these issues.
The NRCSG has produced practical resources to provide guidance on partnership working and encourage engagement with Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) to help ensure businesses and police can work effectively together to identify the trends and types of crimes that affect businesses and to ensure incidents are dealt with appropriately at a local level.
In addition, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) co-ordinates Safer Action Business Days (SABA), where police, BCRPs and retailers work in partnership to carry out days of action to prevent crime against businesses, including shoplifting.
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of shoplifting offences reported to and recorded by the police in England and Wales, on a quarterly basis. These are available at Police Force Area and can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables
The table below shows the police recorded crime figures for Suffolk
Number of shoplifting offences recorded by the police in England and Wales (excluding Devon and Cornwall) | |||
Year | Suffolk | England & Wales* | |
2015/16 | 3,707 | 330,622 | |
2016/17 | 3,751 | 363,349 | |
2017/18 | 4,145 | 374,646 | |
2018/19 | 4,171 | 367,725 | |
2019/20 | 4,155 | 353,053 | |
2020/21 | 2,174 | 224,343 | |
2021/22 | 2,582 | 270,410 | |
YE Dec 21 | 2,396 | 251,774 | |
YE Dec 22 | 3,114 | 309,511 | |
Many shoplifting offences are not reported to the police. The 2021 Commercial Victimisation Survey, which provides estimates of crime against the Wholesale and Retail sector in England and Wales, showed that 25% of premises were victims of theft by customers in the 12 months prior to taking part in the survey. Of those victims, 39% said they experienced customer theft once a week or more.
Asked by: James Sunderland (Conservative - Bracknell)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to (a) tackle gangs of armed shoplifters and (b) protect retail workers.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Since 2019, we have made available £340m to tackle serious violence. This investment includes the creation of 20 Violence Reduction Units and a Young Women and Girls Fund. These programmes are tackling gang activity and supporting young people who have been affected by it.
The Home Office continues to work closely with retail businesses, security representatives, trade associations and policing through the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crime affecting retailers is as robust as it can be.
Katy Bourne, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Business Crime lead, has established a working group, Pegasus, to tackle serious organised retail crime. Pegasus will bring together policing and the retail sector to share intelligence and analyse serious organised retail crime, to assist police forces to respond to this crime.
Police recorded offences in England and Wales (excluding Devon and Cornwall) for shoplifting and all theft offences for year ending December 2022 are showing a fall of 12% and 13% respectively compared with the pre-pandemic period of March 2020.
The latest Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates for year ending March 2023 showed a 20% decrease in theft offences compared with estimates from the year ending March 2020 survey.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
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.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
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.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to incentivise investment in crime prevention measures by the (a) private and (b) public sector.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
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.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Association of Convenience Stores’ Crime Report 2023.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
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.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has taken any recent steps to protect small businesses and retail workers from theft.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
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.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to reduce instances of verbal abuse towards shop workers.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
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.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the police on preventing attacks on people working in the retail sector.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is clear that violence and abuse towards any worker is not acceptable.
The Home Office works closely with retailers and trade organisations and police partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to understand the issues retailers are experiencing. The NRCSG meet twice yearly, and discussions include how to help reduce incidents of violence and abuse towards shop staff, and to support staff when this does occur.
On a national level, we continue to work closely with the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) to understand the crimes affecting businesses and help ensure businesses and police are working effectively together.
In addition, section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for any assault offence where they consider this factor to be relevant.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has held discussions with representatives of the retail sector on preventing attacks on staff working in shops.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is clear that violence and abuse towards any worker is not acceptable.
The Home Office works closely with retailers and trade organisations and police partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to understand the issues retailers are experiencing. The NRCSG meet twice yearly, and discussions include how to help reduce incidents of violence and abuse towards shop staff, and to support staff when this does occur.
On a national level, we continue to work closely with the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) to understand the crimes affecting businesses and help ensure businesses and police are working effectively together.
In addition, section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for any assault offence where they consider this factor to be relevant.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect shopworkers from violence and abuse by customers in their place of work.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is clear that violence and abuse towards any worker is not acceptable.
Last year we introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing workers via section 156 of the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those 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.
The Home Office continues to work closely with retailers, trade associations and the police through the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to encourage retailers to work with police so that crimes are effectively dealt with at a local level. The NRCSG has produced practical resources to assist retailers to report crimes when they occur. These are available here.
The Home Office-funded #ShopKind campaign is also key to getting the message across that violence and abuse towards retail workers across the country will not be tolerated. The campaign asks the public to consider their behaviour and shop with kindness.
Police recorded offences in England and Wales (excluding Devon and Cornwall) for shoplifting and all theft offences for year ending December 2022 are showing a fall of 12% and 13% respectively compared with the pre-pandemic period of March 2020.
Volumes data for shoplifting from police recorded crime (PRC) data should be interpreted with caution due to under reporting of shoplifting. Therefore, the volumes presented here are likely to underestimate the true level of shoplifting.
Across England and Wales we now have the highest number of police officers on record with over 149,500 officers.
As a result of the unprecedented police recruitment drive we have recruited over 20,000 additional officers. That means that there are now over 3,500 more officers in England and Wales than the previous peak in 2010.