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1126092

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the trends in the level of vacancy rates in town centre business properties.
tabling member constituency	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
tabling member printed	Hugh Gaffney
uin	253694
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Town centres and high streets are a crucial part of our communities and the Government is determined to see these areas thriving, both now and in the future.</p><p>The Department receives vacancy rate data on retail units from the Local Data Company which has enabled the Department to monitor the change in these vacancy rates over time at a national level. The data demonstrates that retail vacancy rates peaked at 14.6 per cent in August 2012. Although there have been fluctuations in the rate, it has not reached this high point since and current figures show this rate is at 12.9 per cent in May 2019.</p><p>At Autumn budget we set out ‘Our Plan for the High Street’ to support the sustainable transformation of high streets, including a £675 million Future High Streets Fund, a High Streets Task Force and measures on business rates and planning. We also launched a pilot of our Open Doors project in November 2018, which brings empty properties back into use by linking landlords of vacant units with community groups looking for space.</p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry question first answered 20/05/2019 14:35:33 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
tabling member	4614 label Biography information for Hugh Gaffney

1126256

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to support the economic sustainability of the high street.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	253560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>At Budget 2018, the Government set out Our Plan for the High Street to help local high streets to evolve and adapt to changing consumer demands. This included a cut for smaller retailers to business rates by a third for two years from 1 April 2019. The Government also announced a new £675m Future High Streets Fund to support local areas to make high streets fit for the future. £55 million of the Fund has also been allocated to support the regeneration of historic high streets and town centres.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 21/05/2019 15:40:18 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

1109960

registered interest
date	05/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of (a) out of town shopping centres and (b) online shopping on the health of town centres and high streets.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	241403
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reaffirms our commitment to the town centre first approach, to maintain footfall and avoid undermining their vitality. This makes it clear that in the first instance main town centre uses, such as retail, leisure and office should be located in town centres.</p><p>Between February 2009 and February 2019, the share of online retailing as a percentage of all retail sales increased from 5.9 per cent to 17.6 per cent. However, 82.4 per cent of retail is still generated from physical retail.</p><p>We recognise that changing consumer behaviour presents a significant challenge for retailers in our town centres. That is why we set out ‘Our Plan for the High Street’ at Autumn budget, to support the sustainable transformation of high streets. This includes a £675 million Future High Streets Fund to support local areas in England to invest in town centre infrastructure, a High Streets Task Force to give high streets and town centres expert advice to adapt and thrive, and measures on business rates and planning.</p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry question first answered 10/04/2019 13:52:34 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1109961

registered interest
date	05/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to place restrictions on the expansion of out of town shopping centres to protect high streets.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	241404
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2019 answer text <p>The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reaffirms our commitment to the town centre first approach, which has been in place for two decades, by stating that main town centre uses should, where possible, be located in town centres.</p><p>The Framework is also clear that if an application fails to satisfy the sequential test, or if an application for retail and leisure development outside of a town centre has an adverse impact on existing centres, it should be refused.</p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry question first answered 12/04/2019 14:18:36 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1091123

registered interest
date	19/03/2019
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps the Government is taking to support high street businesses.
tabling member constituency	Lewes
tabling member printed	Maria Caulfield
uin	909881
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>High streets are changing, and the Government is committed to helping communities adapt.</p><p> </p><p>In Budget 2018, we set out Our Plan for the High Street, a £1.6bn package to support the sustainable transformation of our high streets.</p><p> </p><p>This includes a £675m Future High Streets Fund, support for local leadership with a High Streets Task Force, and a one third cut to the business rates bills of eligible small retailers for two years from April this year.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 19/03/2019 15:16:06 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4492 label Biography information for Maria Caulfield

1091587

registered interest
date	19/03/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact on the viability of high streets in the UK of credit insurers reducing their cover for some high street retailers.
tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
uin	HL14635
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2019 answer text <p>Government actively monitors the economy, and is aware of problems and consequent difficulty some retailers are facing in accessing credit insurance. Insurers base the level of cover they provide on their assessment of the credit risk, which is often dependent on the specific dynamics of certain sectors. Market trends in the retail sector, and challenging market conditions facing the retailers, have led some insurers to reduce their exposure.</p><p> </p><p>The underwriting of insurance risks – including credit risks – is a commercial decision, and Government does not prescribe the terms and conditions insurance companies set when offering insurance. This is important to the proper functioning of the economy.</p><p> </p><p>However, Government is clear that it wants all types of retail to thrive now and in the future, and wants to support the sector as it responds to change. A package of measures to support the high street was announced at Budget 2018. The Government has regular engagement with financial services providers, including on their plans to support business customers.</p><p> </p><p>Other financial services products are also available to support businesses in lieu of credit insurance, for example from banks.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL14636 HL14637 HL14638 question first answered 02/04/2019 12:45:23 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1091588

registered interest
date	19/03/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the UK supply chain to high street retailers of the lack of credit insurance cover available for such retailers.
tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
uin	HL14636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2019 answer text <p>Government actively monitors the economy, and is aware of problems and consequent difficulty some retailers are facing in accessing credit insurance. Insurers base the level of cover they provide on their assessment of the credit risk, which is often dependent on the specific dynamics of certain sectors. Market trends in the retail sector, and challenging market conditions facing the retailers, have led some insurers to reduce their exposure.</p><p> </p><p>The underwriting of insurance risks – including credit risks – is a commercial decision, and Government does not prescribe the terms and conditions insurance companies set when offering insurance. This is important to the proper functioning of the economy.</p><p> </p><p>However, Government is clear that it wants all types of retail to thrive now and in the future, and wants to support the sector as it responds to change. A package of measures to support the high street was announced at Budget 2018. The Government has regular engagement with financial services providers, including on their plans to support business customers.</p><p> </p><p>Other financial services products are also available to support businesses in lieu of credit insurance, for example from banks.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL14635 HL14637 HL14638 question first answered 02/04/2019 12:45:23 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1082616

registered interest
date	06/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of falling usage of cash in retail transactions on the economic sustainability of high streets.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	229084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. The Government established the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) with a statutory duty to ensure that payment systems work well for those who use them. As part of this, the PSR regulates LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's ATM network) and is closely monitoring developments in ATM provision.</p> answering member constituency Rossendale and Darwen answering member printed Jake Berry question first answered 13/03/2019 15:28:59 answering member 4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1064591

registered interest
date	20/02/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any disparity in high street rent rates between large chains and small businesses; what is the reason for any such difference in those rates; and whether they intend to introduce lower rent rates for small independent health food outlets on the high street.
tabling member printed	Baroness Boycott
uin	HL13910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not hold the information requested, as the level of rent paid by the tenant of a commercial property is agreed by the landlord and tenant on an individual basis. This information is not reported centrally. We do not currently have any plans to regulate the rents for small independent health food outlets on the high street.</p><p>At the Autumn Budget, we set out Our Plan to support the sustainable transformation of high streets, which included a £675 million Future High Streets Fund, to support local areas in England to invest in town centre infrastructure, to increase access to high streets and support redevelopment and densification around high streets.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 04/03/2019 15:51:13 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4704 label Biography information for Baroness Boycott

1050317

registered interest
date	29/01/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What fiscal steps he is taking to support the high street.
tabling member constituency	Nuneaton
tabling member printed	Mr Marcus Jones
uin	908879
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2019 answer text <p>Budget 2018 announced Our Plan for the High Street, which will provide £1.5bn to support high streets as they adapt to meet the changing needs of shoppers.</p><p> </p><p>The Plan includes a £675m Future High Streets Fund, planning reform, a High Streets Taskforce and support for community assets.</p><p> </p><p>It also includes one third off small retailers’ business rates bills for two years from April. [This is worth almost £900m to businesses.]</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 29/01/2019 15:12:59 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones