My Honourable friend the Minister for Levelling Up (Jacob Young MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

Today, we publish the response to the High Street Rental Auction consultation that was launched last year. We sought views on matters relating to the delivery of High Street Rental Auctions and today...

My Honourable friend the Minister for Levelling Up (Jacob Young MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

Today, we publish the response to the High Street Rental Auction consultation that was launched last year. We sought views on matters relating to the delivery of High Street Rental Auctions and today...

Today, we publish the response to the High Street Rental Auction consultation that was launched last year. We sought views on matters relating to the delivery of High Street Rental Auctions and today I am pleased to announce the findings. This is a significant step in responding to landlords, tenants,...

Today, we publish the response to the High Street Rental Auction consultation that was launched last year. We sought views on matters relating to the delivery of High Street Rental Auctions and today I am pleased to announce the findings. This is a significant step in responding to landlords, tenants,...

Government response to the High Street Rental Auction consultation. 40p.

Government response to the High Street Rental Auction consultation. 40p.

Clauses 1 to 3, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 4 to 6 agreed to. Bill as amended, to be reported (Bill 184).

Clauses 1 to 3, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 4 to 6 agreed to. Bill as amended, to be reported (Bill 184).

I. Our long-term plan for towns. 27p. II. Long-Term Plan for Towns: towns selection methodology note. 7p.

I. Our long-term plan for towns. 27p. II. Long-Term Plan for Towns: towns selection methodology note. 7p.

Motion that this House has considered high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas. Motion lapsed.

Motion that this House has considered high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas. Motion lapsed.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas.

I am delighted to have secured this debate and to hold it today with you in the Chair, Ms Fovargue. Five years ago, I led a similar debate on town centre heritage action zones....

I beg to move,

That this House has considered high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas.

I am delighted to have secured this debate and to hold it today with you in the Chair, Ms Fovargue. Five years ago, I led a similar debate on town centre heritage action zones....

I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate. This topic is close to my heart, and we can see from the Members present that the midlands and the Black Country feel strongly about heritage buildings.

Members may be aware of what happened to the Crooked House pub. With your indulgence,...

I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate. This topic is close to my heart, and we can see from the Members present that the midlands and the Black Country feel strongly about heritage buildings.

Members may be aware of what happened to the Crooked House pub. With your indulgence,...

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue. I very much agree that more should be done to document important historic buildings, because they are very emotive. That shocking incident in particular—the destruction of what was an important local historic asset in the south of Staffordshire—has had a...

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important issue. I very much agree that more should be done to document important historic buildings, because they are very emotive. That shocking incident in particular—the destruction of what was an important local historic asset in the south of Staffordshire—has had a...

I congratulate my constituency neighbour and hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Stafford has a number of similar challenges, with heritage buildings being closed on my high street, which is why I campaigned for the Shire

Hall to be reopened—the Government recently gave us £1.6 million to do that....

I congratulate my constituency neighbour and hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Stafford has a number of similar challenges, with heritage buildings being closed on my high street, which is why I campaigned for the Shire

Hall to be reopened—the Government recently gave us £1.6 million to do that....

I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention and commend the work she has been doing in the town centre to bring some of those buildings back into use; they have such an important role. I know that Stafford faces challenges similar to those faced by many of the high...

I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention and commend the work she has been doing in the town centre to bring some of those buildings back into use; they have such an important role. I know that Stafford faces challenges similar to those faced by many of the high...

My hon. Friend is making an incredibly important point about councils not having the plans in place to move forward. In Rother Valley, for instance, the Land Trust had quite a detailed outline plan in place for Dinnington high street, so when the levelling-up fund went ahead we could bid...

My hon. Friend is making an incredibly important point about councils not having the plans in place to move forward. In Rother Valley, for instance, the Land Trust had quite a detailed outline plan in place for Dinnington high street, so when the levelling-up fund went ahead we could bid...

My hon. Friend makes a good point. We absolutely need that coherence. There are often many different pots of funding, but we need something to bring them together to increase the benefit—[Interruption.]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. We absolutely need that coherence. There are often many different pots of funding, but we need something to bring them together to increase the benefit—[Interruption.]

As I was saying, some councils are not resourced to meet the match funding requirements of some national schemes, while some lack the specialist officers or time to deliver on what is agreed, because of

skills shortages or churn in personnel or for some other reason. The Government have been...

As I was saying, some councils are not resourced to meet the match funding requirements of some national schemes, while some lack the specialist officers or time to deliver on what is agreed, because of

skills shortages or churn in personnel or for some other reason. The Government have been...

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate on high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas. I congratulate the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton) on

setting the scene with detail, information and evidence that encapsulates all our thoughts and puts on record what he wishes...

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate on high street heritage and empty properties in conservation areas. I congratulate the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton) on

setting the scene with detail, information and evidence that encapsulates all our thoughts and puts on record what he wishes...

I am delighted to take part in this important debate and I congratulate my neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton), on securing it. I make no apology for the fact that Stoke-on-Trent is 100% represented in this debate, and that we dominate, because we are...

I am delighted to take part in this important debate and I congratulate my neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton), on securing it. I make no apology for the fact that Stoke-on-Trent is 100% represented in this debate, and that we dominate, because we are...

Don’t forget the Black Country.

Don’t forget the Black Country.

My hon. Friend, whose constituency is in the Black Country, raises an important point. We all hope that the Crooked House is rebuilt.

Conservation areas hold a special place in our hearts because of their historic and architectural significance. They are meant to be protected and preserved, yet empty properties in...

My hon. Friend, whose constituency is in the Black Country, raises an important point. We all hope that the Crooked House is rebuilt.

Conservation areas hold a special place in our hearts because of their historic and architectural significance. They are meant to be protected and preserved, yet empty properties in...

First of all, Ms Fovargue, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton) on securing this important debate.

High streets and heritage are humongously important to the people of Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove and Talke, because ultimately they are about...

First of all, Ms Fovargue, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairship. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton) on securing this important debate.

High streets and heritage are humongously important to the people of Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove and Talke, because ultimately they are about...