§ 15. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the document submitted to him on shoplifting by the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington entitled "Take It or Leave It".
§ Mr. WhitelawI am grateful to my hon. Friend for sending me a copy of his report on shoplifting. We shall let him have our comments when we have had time to study the report in detail.
§ Mr. AdleyI thank my right hon. Friend for his interest in the matter. Is he aware that the authors, including myself, have had a widespread reaction from people all over the country who are increasingly concerned about the fact that the self-service method of trading is resulting in an increase in shoplifting? If the Home Office is interested in preventing crime, will it begin to look seriously at those whose trading methods are resulting in an increase in crime?
§ Mr. WhitelawThe Home Office is interested in stopping crime in every way. At the same time, I think my hon. Friend will be the first to agree that many of the proposals put forward by the Home Office working party on shoplifting in 1973 are the responsibility of the stores concerned, and they should be encouraged to fulfil those requirements and carry out the necessary precautions.