Oral Question·Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office
“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”
Tabled: 17 October 2019Answered: 23 October 2019
Asked by
Kerry McCarthy
Labour — Bristol East
Answering Minister
the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Answer from Hansard
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Seema Malhotra)
Levels of violence and abuse towards retail workers are unacceptably high, with a shoplifting epidemic plaguing our high streets across the country. That is why this Government will bring in a new offence of assaulting a retail worker, and end the effective immunity for shoplifting of goods below £200. Unlike the Conservative party, we want to send a message that all shoplifting is illegal and that offenders will not escape punishment.