§ 21. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to encourage the implementation of the recommendations contained in his Department's report "Shoplifting and thefts by shop staff" ; and if he will encourage supermarkets to concentrate on the prevention of shoplifting and the elimination of deterrent accusations by supermarkets against those suspected of shoplifting.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe report, which has been widely distributed to the retail trade and placed on sale, recommends all retailers to concentrate on the prevention of shoplifting. We have no evidence that supermarkets make deterrent accusations against persons suspected of shoplifting.
§ Mr. AdleyI congratulate my hon. and learned Friend on the thoroughness of his report. Is he aware that I could provide him with evidence showing that some people are having a thoroughly miserable time as a result of the activities of people such as those mentioned in the previous Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Fowler), particularly in relation to certain supermarkets which use store detectives of the type he mentioned? Will the Minister of State please take action now to implement the recommendations of the report, which will have the simultaneous effect of deterring the thief and protecting the innocent?
§ Mr. CarlisleI do not know what my hon. Friend means by people having a thoroughly miserable time. Surely the question is whether the accusation made about shoplifting is or is not justified. The working party did not recommend legislation. We have sent out the working party's recommendations to the various interested bodies, and I hope that they will be implemented.