Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the manufacturing sector play a vital role in the UK economy. At Budget, Government announced a package of support for towns and high streets that included cutting the business rates bills of eligible small retailers by one third for two years and the £675 million Future High Streets Fund. Our recent reforms to the planning system, including the revised National Planning Policy Framework, provide greater flexibility for a greater range and diversity of uses in our high streets. That includes diversification to incentivise small and medium sized business. The manufacturing sector drives innovation and exports, creates jobs and Government is committed to supporting the sector through the Industrial Strategy. This will boost productivity and build an economy fit for the future, helping to foster a competitive business environment where UK manufacturing can thrive.<\/p>
Tenancies are a commercial matter and whilst Government cannot comment on contractual arrangements between landlords and tenants, where specific tenancy issues arise, businesses can engage with their local authorities or Citizens\u2019 Advice Bureau<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4060", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jake Berry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rossendale and Darwen"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jake Berry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-26T16:52:17.157Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Small Businesses"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium sized UK business and manufacturing is protected from eviction by large international firms.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "192722"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013159", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1013159/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government announced Our Plan for the High Street at the Autumn Budget, a package of support for high streets and town centres. To provide upfront support for high streets we are cutting business rates by a third for up to 90 per cent of retail properties for two years, subject to state aid limits. We have also created a £675 million Future High Streets Fund to help local areas make their high streets and town centres fit for the future.<\/p>
As part of this package for high streets and town centres we will trial a register of empty commercial properties to help prospective retailers to find empty properties and help local stakeholders tackle fragmented ownership on their high street. We have also announced an \u2018Open Doors\u2019 pilot scheme to help match empty properties to community groups looking for space and announced a consultation on modernising planning rules to ensure that they support the transformation of the high street<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4060", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jake Berry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rossendale and Darwen"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jake Berry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-28T15:42:18.577Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Retail Trade: Urban Areas"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support is available to social enterprises, start-ups, and co-operatives in town centres to provide suitable premises for manufacturing and retail.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "195031"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"} }