High Street Businesses

Alistair Strathern, the Labour MP for Hitchin, asked what steps the Department is taking to support high street businesses. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Gareth Thomas, responded that the decline of high street businesses was a failure of the previous government's economic record and the cost-of-living crisis they caused. He stated that the government is determined to breathe new life into high streets, particularly by stamping out late payments, tackling retail crime, and creating a fairer business rates system. Strathern followed up, highlighting the struggles of high street businesses in his constituency and asking what the government will do differently to ensure it is on the side of these businesses. Thomas acknowledged Strathern's by-election victory and reiterated the government's five-point plan to support high streets, including a fairer business rates system and proposals to tackle retail crime. Josh Babarinde, the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, asked the Secretary of State to urgently update him on whether Eastbourne's high street businesses can still expect to benefit from the £20 million Towns Fund investment. Thomas stated that the Towns Fund is the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and he would draw Babarinde's concerns to the attention of the relevant Minister. Gareth Snell, the Labour/Co-op MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, emphasized the need for a cross-government approach to supporting high streets, and asked what conversations the Minister is having with other departments. Thomas agreed that policies across government impact high street businesses, and highlighted the work with the Treasury on a fairer business rates system and the Home Office on addressing retail crime. Sir Ashley Fox, the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, raised concerns about the potential impact of the government's new employment reforms on small and medium-sized enterprises. Thomas acknowledged Fox's election and stated that the government has consulted widely with the business community on its plans to improve employee rights, which have received support from small businesses. Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, asked the Minister to assure the House that business rates system reform is coming soon and that it will be a comprehensive replacement of the damaging system. Thomas reiterated that the Treasury is leading work on this and will bring forward proposals in due course.