Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Deferred
Paragraph: 151
Retail workers enforcing laws and facing risks deserve equal legal protection as emergency workers.
Recommendation
Retail workers are responsible for enforcing laws with regard to age-restricted sales and restricted goods such as medicines or weapons. It is well established that conflict over these types of sales is a key trigger for violence and abuse. The Covid-19 pandemic has seen retail workers take on even more responsibility, enforcing Government legislation on social distancing and mask wearing, while putting their lives at risk working in public facing roles on the Covid frontline. Other categories of workers, such as emergency workers and customs officers, have rightly been afforded extra protection by the law in recognition of the service they provide to the public and the responsibility placed upon them by Parliament. We believe that retail workers must also be recognised, and that offences against them must be treated with additional seriousness, with extra protection from the law.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges existing laws treat offences against public sector workers seriously, but commits to considering an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the Lords, and will take into account the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021.
Paragraph Reference:
151
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Government completely understands and sympathises with all workers who serve the public that face violence and other forms of abuse. A wide range of offences already exist that cover assaults against any worker, including retail workers. Such offences include common assault, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, harassment and other public order offences, all of which criminalise threatening or abusive behaviour intended to harass, alarm or distress a person. In addition, courts have a statutory duty to follow sentencing guidelines, which are clear that the fact an offence has been committed against those working in the public sector or providing a service to the public should be treated as an aggravating factor during sentencing, meriting an increased sentence. However, the Government is not complacent about ensuring criminal law is fit for purpose. In response to an amendment tabled to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill on 5 July 2021, the Minister for Safeguarding, Victoria Atkins MP committed to consider an amendment in the Lords if appropriate. We will take into account the text of the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021 in our consideration.