Violence and abuse towards retail workers

Home Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 17 Dec 2020 Closed: 18 Nov 2024 Parliament page
Following the announcement that a General Election will be held on 4 July, Select Committees will be unable to meet from 24 May and will cease to exist from 30 May until after the General Election. This work has therefore closed The Committee carried out an inquiry into violence and … Read more
21 Recommendations
18 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
4 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
5 Nov
2024
Correspondence
22 May
2024
Correspondence
17 Apr
2024
Oral evidence
17 Apr
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
9 Nov
2022
Correspondence
9 Sep
2021
Report published
29 Jun
2021
Report published
7 Jun
2021
Correspondence
28 Apr
2021
Oral evidence
28 Apr
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
14 Apr
2021
Oral evidence
14 Apr
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
17 Apr 2024
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Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman · National Police Chief's Council Chief Superintendent Alex Goss · National Police Chiefs’ Council Edward Woodall · Association of Convenience Stores Joanne Cairns · Usdaw Lyndsey Cambridge · Federation of Wholesale Distributors Paul Gerrard · The Co-op Superintendent Patrick Holdaway · City of London Police
28 Apr 2021
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Amanda Blakeman · Gwent Police David Jamieson · West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Ian Dyson QPM · City of London Police Patrick Holdaway · Hampshire Constabulary
14 Apr 2021
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Iona Blake · Boots UK James Lowman · Association of Convenience Stores Joanne Cairns · Usdaw Paul Gerrard · The Co-op Tom Ironside · British Retail Consortium (BRC)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Violence and abuse towards retail workers HC 141 29 Jun 2021 39 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
3 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Violence and abuse …
Hate-motivated abuse against shopworkers needs serious police attention and dedicated survey data.
Where shopworkers are confronted by hate-motivated abuse in the course of their employment this should be taken seriously by employers and reported to the police. It is vital that the police, in dealing with these incidents, manage them with sensitivity … Read more
Government Response
The government stated that the 2020/21 Commercial Victimisation Survey, currently underway with results due March 2022, already includes questions on hate-related violence as recommended, and an Expert Reference Group will review its coverage in Spring 2022.
Home Office
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5 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Violence and abuse …
Unconscionable increase in violence and abuse against frontline retail workers during Covid-19 pandemic.
It is unconscionable that violence and abuse towards retail workers has further increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. These are individuals who have been working on the frontline and have put their lives at risk to ensure that the public could … Read more
Government Response
The government response details existing measures, including interim sentencing guidance for Covid-19 related assaults and revised guidelines with aggravating factors, published safer working guidance, and ongoing collaboration between BEIS/DEFRA and retailers to ensure Covid-19 related safety.
Home Office
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6 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Violence and abuse …
Revised spitting/coughing sentencing guidance excludes threats and was introduced too late.
We welcome the revised guidance from the Sentencing Council which makes the despicable act of deliberate spitting or coughing an aggravating factor for common assault. However, we note that incidents of offenders threatening to spit or cough would not be … Read more
Government Response
The government clarifies that the revised common assault guideline includes a new high-culpability factor for 'intention to cause fear of serious harm, including disease transmission', which addresses threats to spit or cough related to Covid-19.
Home Office
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21 Recommendation Accepted
First Report - Violence and abuse …
Actively encourage Safer Streets Fund bids for shop worker safety, setting this as a future priority.
We welcome the additional money available to local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners to spend on preventative measures via the Safer Streets Fund. However, we note that none of the funding rounds have placed any emphasis on preventative measures … Read more
Government Response
The government stated that it has already made clear the Safer Streets Fund welcomes bids for measures improving shopworker safety, with the second round expanded to include commercial areas, and the third round (Autumn 2021) will have a broader focus on reducing violence.
Home Office
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30 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Violence and abuse …
Government's response to drug-related retail crime lacks urgency and timely national programme rollout.
The Government has acknowledged that drugs play a significant role in a large number of crimes and with prolific offending in particular. Yet, one year on from the Government’s response to the call for evidence on violence and abuse toward … Read more
Government Response
The government details its commitment to tackling drug-driven crime, referencing Dame Carol Black's review and ongoing work including £80m investment in drug treatment and the expansion of Project ADDER to eight additional sites.
Home Office
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38 Conclusion Accepted
First Report - Violence and abuse …
New statutory offence would improve data, reporting, and communicate seriousness of retail worker abuse.
The patchwork of existing offences for prosecuting incidents of violence and abuse against individuals is not effective enough to address the escalating scale and nature of offences committed in the retail setting. Introducing a new statutory offence would bring the … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights existing measures by the Sentencing Council, including interim guidance on Covid-19 related assaults from April 2020 and revised assault sentencing guidelines from May 2021, which address aggravating factors for common assault.
Home Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 21 classified
Accepted 6
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 13
Deferred 12
Not Addressed 4
Total 21 recs + 18 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
5 Nov 2024 To committee Letter from the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention regarding violence and abuse towards retail workers 29.10.24
Parliament page
22 May 2024 From committee Letter to the Home Secretary regarding follow-up work in relation to the Violence and abuse towards retail workers inquiry, dated 22 May 2024
Parliament page
9 Nov 2022 From committee Letter to the Home Secretary on violence and abuse towards retail workers, dated 7 November 2022
Parliament page
7 Jun 2021 Analysis of survey results for inquiry on violence towards retail workers
Parliament page