Under the previous Government, shop theft soared to record highs and it continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this.

The Government will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Section 176 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2024 has created the perception that offenders and would-be offenders can get away with shop theft of goods of and under £200. We will repeal the relevant provision relating to "low value shoplifting", ensuring the police treat shop theft of any value in the same way, whilst sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal. We will continue to work closely with the police to combat retail crime, including through our Retail Crime Forum.

As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we will provide £100k of additional funding next financial year for the National Police Chiefs' Council to give further training to police and retailers on prevention tactics. We will also invest £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. This will build on funding provided this financial year to the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, for development of training materials for both police and retailers to help combat retail crime and promote partnership working.

Under the previous Government, shop theft soared to record highs and it continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this.

The Government will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Section 176 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2024 has created the perception that offenders and would-be offenders can get away with shop theft of goods of and under £200. We will repeal the relevant provision relating to "low value shoplifting", ensuring the police treat shop theft of any value in the same way, whilst sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal. We will continue to work closely with the police to combat retail crime, including through our Retail Crime Forum.

As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we will provide £100k of additional funding next financial year for the National Police Chiefs' Council to give further training to police and retailers on prevention tactics. We will also invest £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. This will build on funding provided this financial year to the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, for development of training materials for both police and retailers to help combat retail crime and promote partnership working.

The Government has not made an assessment. Insurers make decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. This is usually informed by the insurer’s claims experience and other industry-wide statistics. Individual insurers may take a different view of the relevant factors in determining whether to offer insurance and at what price.

However, the Government recognises that shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers to do this.

The Government will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect hardworking and dedicated staff, and end the effective immunity that has been granted to shop theft of goods under £200. As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government also will provide over £7 million over the next three financial years to help police tackle retail crime and support local businesses.

Ofwat’s role is to promote competition through a well-functioning market where that will further the interests of customers. In furthering this role, since the market has opened the regulator has explored barriers to market entry, for example, credit security arrangements for smaller new entrants. Where appropriate, Ofwat has supported (and on occasions sponsored) market code amendments aimed at promoting new entrants to the market.

Over the past three years, we have seen greater choice for business customers with around twenty retailers operating in England. In addition, a number of larger customers have become licensed to operate as self-suppliers. The self-supply model enables customers to have greater control over their data, and has delivered price and water efficiency savings. In 2019/20, an additional three self-supply licences were granted bringing the total to 12 as at end March 2020.

Ofwat keeps under review the use and impact of Parent Company Guarantees (PCGs) in the water business retail market. For example, it has previously reviewed the use of PCGs in the market and wrote an open letter (in January 2019) to retailers and their associated companies reminding them of their obligations under the market codes and competition law on this.

Use of PCGs, or other forms of intra-group credit, in and of themselves should not be of concern. For example, where a retailer is obtaining credit and paying a market orientated rate for that credit, then this should not distort competition. However, if the credit provision was below the market rate, i.e. not reflecting the economic risk specifically of that retailer (as opposed to the group as a whole), this could potentially distort competition. To increase transparency around use of PCGs, a requirement was introduced (though a change to the market codes) for retailers to provide information to Ofwat including: confirmation any PCG has been provided on an arm’s length basis; and evidence which can be used to determine the commercial consideration (and any other relevant costs) of the PCG.

While there are a range of market codes in place to protect customers, Ofwat does not specifically prohibit retailers from charging customers in advance for the services they provide. Some customers may, for example, have made an active and informed choice to voluntarily enter contractual arrangements with retailers on terms which include some form of advance billing.

However, Ofwat has also taken steps to strengthen the protections for customers on deemed contracts (that is where the customer has not actively negotiated and agreed a contract with their retailer) against non-voluntary changes in their non-price terms, which would include changes in billing arrangements. Following a public consultation, in July 2019 Ofwat published its decision that for customers acquired on retail exit who have not subsequently switched retailer, their terms in the round should leave them no worse off than they were on retail exit.

While the example of advance billing was used as one example of a non-price change that could leave customers worse off, Ofwat’s decision applied more widely to the fair treatment of customers who had not yet engaged in the market. To avoid stifling innovation or preventing retailers from making efficiency enhancing changes that may benefit customers, retailers should be able to alter the non-price terms for customers on deemed contracts so long as they are: transparent about any proposed changes; are able to clearly articulate what the impact on customers will be; and are able to demonstrate to customers why, and how, they will be at least ‘no worse off’ as a result of those changes.

Since market opening, Ofwat has published annual reports on the business retail market, including with a focus on customer outcomes and benefits delivered to customers, including SME customers – see:

• Business retail market - Open for business - Review of the first year of the market 2017-18
• State of the market Reviewing the second year of the business retail water market
• State of the market 2019-20 Review of the third year of the business retail water market

Its most recent report, on the third year of the market (2019-20) noted that just over half (54%) of small/medium SMEs (10-249 employees), and 58% of micro-businesses (0-9 employees) are aware they can choose their retailer. The majority (91%) of all business customers who had switched retailer or renegotiated a new deal with their existing retailer in the 12 months to spring 2020 reported that they had received some form of benefit as a result of switching or re‑negotiating.

Concerning switching rates, around 3.1% of small/medium SMEs (10-249 employees) and 4% of micro-businesses (0-9 employees) switched retailer or renegotiated a new deal with their existing retailer in the 12 months to spring 2020, compared to 6.2% (small/medium SMEs) and 3.6% (micro-businesses) in the 12 months to spring 2019.

In 2017 Ofwat with KPMG undertook a review of the credit arrangements in the business retail market to establish whether the arrangements created an undue barrier to entry. The review found that, in principle, requiring collateral is not a barrier to entry in and of itself.

Ofwat has supported (and on occasions sponsored) market code amendments aimed at improving transparency and flexibility and reducing barriers to new entrant retailers. For example, Ofwat sponsored a code change to Wholesale Retail Code CPW021 (Negotiating Alternative Eligible Credit Support reasonably and in good faith) implemented in July 2017. This change provided greater certainty on wholesalers’ obligations to negotiate ‘alternative eligible credit support’ and increases the scope for retailers to provide the required eligible credit support via a mechanism which suits their particular circumstances.

In some cases, Ofwat has rejected proposed market code amendments on credit where such proposals are not considered – on the basis of the evidence presented - to better facilitate the principles and objectives of the market codes.

In Ofwat’s ‘review of incumbent company support for effective markets’ published in August 2020, it asked wholesalers to explain their approach to offering alternative credit arrangements and alternative payment terms and the extent to which they tailor their offerings to the characteristics of individual retailers. In its report Ofwat highlighted examples of good practice and where performance could be better. It emphasised that where different retailers have different risk profiles, a wholesaler is able to reflect this by offering these retailers’ different or tailored terms, so long as the differences in terms objectively reflect the differences in risk. Ofwat plans to provide further guidance on this in early 2021.

We stressed our concerns about Mr bin Haydara’s case with the Houthis directly on 6 October. We strongly condemn Mr bin Haydara's death sentence and the continued persecution of Baha'is in Yemen for their religious beliefs. We continue to follow the treatment of the Baha’is in Yemen closely, including through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities. We continue to call on the parties to the conflict to respect the human rights of all Yemenis.

The UK strongly condemns the mistreatment of Baha’is who are being persecuted for their religious beliefs in areas under the control of the Houthis. We are working closely with our partners to raise these concerns directly with the Houthi authorities and urge the release of detained individuals. We continue to call on the parties to the conflict for the human rights of all Yemenis to be respected.

I raised the religious persecution of the Baha’i community in my statement of 22 October on human rights. We continue to follow the treatment of the Baha’is in Yemen closely, including through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities.

Custody should always be a last resort for children. Statistics on the numbers of children aged between 10 and 14 held in Youth Custody are published regularly as part of the Youth Custody data series and can be found at the following link;

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-custody-data

The table below shows the number children aged between 10 and 14 years old were held in youth custody in each month in the last five years. It should be noted that the data from 2018/19 onwards is currently provisional.

Custody should always be a last resort for children. The table below sets out the number of 10 and 11 year olds who have received a custodial sentence since 2009:

This is the latest annual data available from the ‘Criminal Justice Statistics quarterly: December 2018 – Outcomes by Offence data tool’:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2018

The table above shows the total number of cautions and convictions issued to 10-11 year olds over the past five calendar years. Published figures do not allow us to distil the number of individuals but instead only the number of cautions/sentences. This is the latest annual data available from the ‘Criminal Justice Statistics quarterly: December 2018 – Outcomes by Offence data tool’: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2018

Data on looked after children is not held centrally by the Ministry of Justice. However, children supervised by the local Youth Offending Team or in custody will have their needs, including identifying whether they are looked after, assessed and appropriate measures will be put in place to ensure their individual needs are met.

The British Government has routine discussions with the People’s Republic of China on the issue of Taiwan, such as during the Foreign Secretary’s UK-China Strategic Dialogue (July 2018). We maintain that the issue should be settled through constructive dialogue, in line with the views of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

In his 2 January speech, Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged Taiwan to accept reunification with China, restating China’s long-held position that it can use all necessary measures, including force, to secure this aim. We oppose any action which raises tensions in the region and hinders the chances of peaceful settlement of any issues. In line with our longstanding position on Taiwan we encourage Taiwan and China to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve this issue, taking into account the views of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

We share the UN Special Rapporteur's concerns about the persecution of the Baha'i community in Yemen. We have raised our concerns with the Government of Yemen, and sought to highlight their plight through public diplomacy. We call on all parties to respect freedom of religion and belief and to protect the fundamental human rights of all Yemenis. We are concerned by Iranian support for the Houthis, and encourage Iran to show it can be constructive through promoting stability and showing commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen.

My Lords, we condemn the industrial action being held over the coming weeks, and the further disruption this will cause to passengers. We urge the unions to call off these needless strikes.

Southern is working closely with Network Rail and fellow operators to mitigate the effects of these strikes as far as practicable, and is putting out as much information as it can to keep passengers informed on what travel arrangements will be in place.

My Lords, GTR is introducing an amended timetable so that passengers have much-needed certainty about getting to work and home reliably. Some 85% of services will run and more staff will be available during peak hours. This will be in place until train crew availability returns to normal. This is now a big test for RMT as to whether it continues this unjustified dispute that has been inflicting chaos on passengers’ lives or works with the operator to urgently resolve this matter.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is an independent body and its recommendations are not a statement of Government policy. We thank the MAC for their report and we are currently considering the findings carefully. We will announce our response in due course.

Doctors from overseas make a valuable contribution to the running of our NHS and we will consider the potential impacts on them in making our decisions. The Minister for Immigration met the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and the Minister of State for Home Affairs during a visit to India in February and had wide ranging and constructive talks, including discussion of the MAC’s report on Tier 2.

The Government fully respects the UK’s international commitments and remains strongly committed to the free trade agenda. The UK immigration system continues to support inward investment and trade.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is an independent body and its recommendations are not a statement of Government policy. We thank the MAC for their report and we are currently considering the findings carefully. We will announce our response in due course.

Doctors from overseas make a valuable contribution to the running of our NHS and we will consider the potential impacts on them in making our decisions. The Minister for Immigration met the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and the Minister of State for Home Affairs during a visit to India in February and had wide ranging and constructive talks, including discussion of the MAC’s report on Tier 2.

The Government fully respects the UK’s international commitments and remains strongly committed to the free trade agenda. The UK immigration system continues to support inward investment and trade.