Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Retail Crime

Monday 29 July 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Record rates of retail crime and shoplifting are affecting high streets, including in Ipswich.
  • Government's commitment to retail worker safety is based on collaboration with unions and industry groups.
  • MP Matt Vickers highlighted the use of tagging as part of the retail crime action plan.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jack Abbott Labour (Co-op) Ipswich
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

High levels of retail crime and violence against workers in Ipswich, with a reported 30% increase in shoplifting offences over the past year.

Question

Record rates of retail crime and shoplifting are blighting our high streets, including in Ipswich, where too often such instances act as a flashpoint for completely unacceptable levels of violence, threats and abuse directed towards retail workers. I very much welcome the Government's commitment to ending the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters, and the introduction of a stand-alone offence that will give shop workers the protection they need. Will the Minister join me in Ipswich to meet local retail staff, so that she can hear about their experiences and the vital difference that these steps will make?

Answer from Seema Malhotra

I commend my hon. Friend for raising this issue. It is true that the steps we are taking owe much to the work of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, the Co-op, the British Retail Consortium and the Association of Convenience Stores. Everyone has a right to feel safe at work, but the March statistics show a 30% increase in shoplifting offences, many of which are violent, over 12 months. We welcome the operational commitments made by the police in the retail crime action plan. I know that the Minister of State, Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham (Dame Diana Johnson) has heard my hon. Friend's request and that she will be happy to visit Ipswich with him.

Answered
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Q2 Jack Abbott Labour (Co-op) Ipswich
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The question follows the government's commitment to ending the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters and introducing a stand-alone offence.

Question

Record rates of retail crime and shoplifting are blighting our high streets, including in Ipswich, where too often such instances act as a flashpoint for completely unacceptable levels of violence, threats and abuse directed towards retail workers. I very much welcome the Government's commitment to ending the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters, and the introduction of a stand-alone offence that will give shop workers the protection they need. Will the Minister join me in Ipswich to meet local retail staff, so that she can hear about their experiences and the vital difference that these steps will make?

Answer from Seema Malhotra

I commend my hon. Friend for raising this issue. It is true that the steps we are taking owe much to the work of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, the Co-op, the British Retail Consortium and the Association of Convenience Stores. Everyone has a right to feel safe at work, but the March statistics show a 30% increase in shoplifting offences, many of which are violent, over 12 months. We welcome the operational commitments made by the police in the retail crime action plan. I know that the Minister of State, Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham (Dame Diana Johnson) has heard my hon. Friend's request and that she will be happy to visit Ipswich with him.

Answered
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Q3 Matt Vickers Con Stockton West
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The all-party parliamentary group on retail campaigned for action against retail crime, welcoming the government's commitment to using facial recognition and tagging.

Question

As a Back Bencher and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on retail, I campaigned alongside retailers and the likes of USDAW to up the ante on protecting retail workers. I know that retail workers welcomed my party's action on the retail crime action plan, particularly the use of tagging and facial recognition technology. Can the Minister assure us that there will be no let-up in the use of facial recognition and tagging to clamp down on this and other crimes?

Answer from Seema Malhotra

I thank the shadow Minister for his question, and I can confirm that we are continuing to look at this issue. We welcome the operational commitments that have been made by the police in the October 2023 retail crime action plan and, indeed, the commitment from police across England and Wales to prioritise attendance where violence has been used towards shop staff.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific assurance on continuous support for facial recognition and tagging technology

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