Yesterday (15th December) the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill had a Report Stage sitting, where an amendment addressing abuse towards public facing workers was considered.
ACS has outlined the scale and impact of violence and abuse against shopworkers, with over 40,000 shopworkers experiencing violence and 89% experiencing verbal abuse over the past year in briefings to peers throughout the passage of the Bill. Ahead of the debate ACS contacted and briefed Peers to urge them to support the amendment.
Amendment 84, proposed by Government Minister Baroness Williams of Trafford, proposed to introduce an aggravated offence for attacking an individual serving the public. This amendment went to a vote and was accepted by the house.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “After many years of campaigning we are please the government has introduced tougher penalties for attacks on shopworkers. This sends a much-needed signal to our colleagues that violence and abuse will not be tolerated.
“We still need more resources for police forces to focus on neighbourhood policing and delivery of the drug rehabilitation strategy to reduce acquisitive crime that often leads to violence in local shops.”
ACS has co-ordinated with over 100 retailers and trade bodies the Home Office backed ShopKind campaign, urging customers to be respectful of colleagues in stores. Campaign materials for retailers are available to download on the NBCC website here.
Violence and Abuse Against Retailers: Timeline
March 2019: ACS, Home Office and retail sector launch #AlwaysReportAbuse campaign.
April 2019: Call for evidence on violence and abuse is launched, and receives responses from almost 3,500 interested parties, including retailers and colleagues that have been victims of abuse and violence at work.
March 2020: Yvette Cooper speakers at Retail Industry Parliament Reception on violence and abuse against shopworkers.
March 2020: Ten Minute Rule motion on Assaults on Retail Workers, proposed by Alex Norris MP, is passed and added to the register of Parliamentary business. The Bill is first scheduled to be debated in April 2020, but is subsequently delayed.
May 2020: Police and Crime Commissioner elections are delayed due to Coronavirus, currently scheduled to take place in May 2021.
July 2020: Government issues formal response to call for evidence on violence and abuse over a year after the consultation closed, stating that no changes to the law are necessary.
September 2020: Crime Minister Kit Malthouse writes to all Police and Crime Commissioners, reminding them of the importance of prosecuting shop theft offences under the value of £200 as well as those over £200.
December 2020: Home Affairs Select Committee launches new consultation, looking at whether the Government’s own response to its call for evidence was adequate.
February 2021: Scottish Parliament passes the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act. The Bill was sponsored by Daniel Johnson MSP and introduced an aggravated offence for attacks on shopworkers
March 2021: ACS launches 2021 Crime Report, revealing that 89% of colleagues in stores have been the victim of abuse over the last year, with a total of 1.2m incidents of abuse recorded.
April 2021: ACS gives evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, outlining the scale of the problem of violence and abuse against shopworkers.
April 2021: ACS, the Home Office, Crimestoppers and over 100 retailers and trade bodies come together to launch the #ShopKind campaign, funded by the Home Office.
May 2021: Second reading of Alex Norris’ Bill on Assaults on Retail Workers is once again delayed. A second reading date is yet to be set.
May 2021: Police and Crime Commissioner elections take place. ACS sets out a series of recommendations for Police and Crime Commissioners to encourage them to take retail crime more seriously.
June 2021: Shadow Policing Minister proposes an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill that would introduce a new offence for abusing a shopworker.
June 2021: Government rejects amendment to PCSC Bill, stating that existing legislation is adequate to deal with violence and abuse. Suggests that employers need to do more to increase reporting levels.
June 2021: Home Affairs Select Committee, led by Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, publishes report on violence and abuse against retailers, calling for urgent action to address the problem. Recommendations include a new offence for attacking shopworkers, and a more formal response to incidents from police.
September 2021: Home Office responds the Home Affairs Select Committee report
November 2021: Amendments to the PCSC Bill related to attacks against shopworkers were debated and withdrawn.
December 2021: Amendment proposing to introduce an aggravated offence for attacking an individual serving the public was put to a vote and accepted by the house.
