Prosecution Rates Bournemouth East 2025-12-18
2025-12-18
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The Solicitor General provided data on prosecution volumes for the Dorset police area, highlighting shoplifting as a major issue. Tom Hayes follows up with specific concerns from constituents about crime and business impact.
Mr Speaker, may I wish you and your team a happy Christmas? What the Solicitor General found does not surprise me. Chris has said that he cannot stomach shoplifting, particularly at the Asda petrol station in Charminster, and Jackie is putting up with antisocial behaviour and shoplifting at the Co-op on Christchurch Road. Does the Solicitor General agree that businesses need easier ways to report crime, and that no shop worker or constituent should have to put up with fear of harm or abuse on their high street?
My hon. Friend makes a good point. I know that he has convened a meeting in his constituency on retail crime with high street businesses, and he has been vocal, both in the Chamber and with me, about the scourge of shoplifting. The Government are introducing new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill to tackle retail crime. That includes removing the £200 low-value limit for shoplifting, as well as introducing a new offence of assaulting a shop worker.
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Response accuracy