§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been given by his Department to retail staff on reducing risk of assault by customers. [29199]
§ Mr. MacleanThe Retail Action Group, a sub-group of the National Board of Crime Prevention, is working to produce a series of crime prevention booklets for retailers: advice on the prevention of violence to retail staff is currently being prepared and will be published shortly. Booklets on the prevention of burglary and of robbery were launched in January, and advice on the prevention of customer theft, external fraud and staff dishonesty is also planned.
The Home Department was represented on the Health and Safety Executive committee which in March 1995 published guidance giving practical information on how employers can prevent violence to retail staff in the workplace. The Home Department was also represented on the steering committee of the "Theftstop Initiative", which recently launched a training video on the prevention of shop theft. As research indicates that almost half the incidents of violence to retail staff occur when staff intervene to prevent theft, it is essential that staff are trained in preventive action that will not put them at risk.
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the dangers posed to retail staff by the introduction of the national lottery as a result of the increased amounts of money changing hands; and what representations he has received on the subject. [29200]
§ Mr. MacleanPrior to the launch of the lottery, Camelot, in consultation with the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers, put together and 269W distributed advice to retailers on health and safety issues, including robbery. Lottery-related crime, including crime affecting retailers, is being monitored. My right hon. and learned Friend has received representations on the subject of violence against retailers from 13 Members of Parliament since the lottery was launched.
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many retail staff were(a) killed, (b) seriously injured as a result of attacks from customers and (c) physically assaulted by customers in each of the last five years. [29198]
§ Mr. MacleanThe official information available centrally does not enable a distinction of victims by occupation to be made. However, information on violence against staff in the financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 is contained in the British Retail Consortium publications "Retail Crime Costs: 1992–93 survey" and "Retail Crime Costs: 1993–94 survey", copies of which are held in the Library.