To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2014 to Question 218070, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in shoplifting between 2010 and 2014.

The Crown Prosecution Service has not made any formal assessment of these figures. However the figures provided in the response to Question 218070 showing an increase in charges are consistent with Home Office statistics for the number of shoplifting offences recorded by the police. These were given in a written answer (218106) provided to the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth on the 15^th December 2014, which is published at;

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=218106