PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
FREEDOM FROM FEAR 2010 CAMPAIGN (10 October 2010)

That this House recognises the excellent work done by employers, trade union, health and safety representatives and inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities to make workplaces safer; notes with regret the latest survey of abuse of shopworkers by the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers that shows that in the last year six per cent. of shopworkers were subjected to violent attack, 37 per cent. were threatened with harm and 70 per cent. were verbally abused; expresses sympathy with all the victims of attack or injury in the workplace; is concerned to note that the survey also showed that 50 per cent. of the abuse suffered by shopworkers was related to age-restricted sales and dealing with proof of age; acknowledges that no workplace can automatically be assumed to be safe and that therefore all workplaces need health and safety inspections from time to time to ensure that risks are minimised; and calls on the Government to continue to support the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities to inspect all workplaces to maintain the current record numbers of police and community support officers to continue to protect front-line workers and the public from violence, threats and abuse, and to run high-profile publicity campaigns in support of a no identification- no sale policy and to ensure that young people are aware that it is an offence to attempt to buy alcohol if they are under 18.

Sponsored by:
Yvonne Fovargue (Labour)