Question
The Minister will be aware of my campaign, which has the support of over 60 MPs, to shut down dodgy shops. I am aware that the Government have taken steps to extend the powers available to local authorities, which have finally seen my local authority take steps to shut down one shop. There are many more that it can come for in the coming days. Interestingly, when the Conservatives were in power, they changed the rules to require trading standards to give 48 hours’ notice before visiting some premises. Are the Government looking at changing that rule, so that more activity can be taken by trading standards when shops have not prepared?
Answer
My hon. Friend raises a fair point. There is a world of difference between a routine trading standards visit, which is about assessing routine compliance, and not giving organised criminals a heads-up to clear the store out of any evidence, so I will certainly take away her point and confirm the next steps in writing. I put on record my thanks for the work she has been doing on this issue for a long time.
Verdict: RED (15/100) DEFERRED
The question asked whether the Government is considering changing the 48-hour notice rule for visits. The reply explained why short-notice visits matter for tackling organised crime but did not say whether a change is under consideration. It instead promised to confirm the next steps in writing, so the central question remains unanswered and the person who asked would likely need to follow up.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Government is considering changing the rule requiring trading standards to give 48 hours' notice before visiting certain premises, so that trading standards can take more action where shops have not prepared. | Deferred | Hedged | The reply never says whether the Government is considering changing the 48-hour notice rule; it explains why short-notice visits matter for organised crime (statement 2) but then defers the substantive answer by promising to 'confirm the next steps in writing' (statement 3), so the item is acknowledged but not answered. |