Key data and pressures facing the retail sector in the UK.

Key data and pressures facing the retail sector in the UK.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 8 May 2025 (HL6763), what progress they have made in tackling money laundering through cash-based high street businesses such as American candy stores and souvenir shops; whether they plan to legislate to introduce new...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 8 May 2025 (HL6763), what progress they have made in tackling money laundering through cash-based high street businesses such as American candy stores and souvenir shops; whether they plan to legislate to introduce new...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of Use Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) on the ability of local authorities to prevent the reopening of vape shops, where no planning permission is required because the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of Use Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) on the ability of local authorities to prevent the reopening of vape shops, where no planning permission is required because the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to use the Healthy Food Standard to help ensure that supermarkets provide a range of affordable, healthy products in smaller convenience stores.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to use the Healthy Food Standard to help ensure that supermarkets provide a range of affordable, healthy products in smaller convenience stores.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the amount of closures of unlawful high street shops in a) England, b) Essex and c) South Basildon and East Thurrock.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the amount of closures of unlawful high street shops in a) England, b) Essex and c) South Basildon and East Thurrock.

Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Serhat Erdogan and his team on the successful opening of Cafe Victoria? He has taken on a long-empty shop in Grimsby town centre, which shows great confidence in the local economy of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The Government launched community...

Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Serhat Erdogan and his team on the successful opening of Cafe Victoria? He has taken on a long-empty shop in Grimsby town centre, which shows great confidence in the local economy of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The Government launched community...

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating everyone involved with the opening of Cafe Victoria. I know the trials and tribulations of coastal communities, and the important role that cafés and hospitality play. If she wants to make the case directly to a Minister and get that update, I will...

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating everyone involved with the opening of Cafe Victoria. I know the trials and tribulations of coastal communities, and the important role that cafés and hospitality play. If she wants to make the case directly to a Minister and get that update, I will...

Motion, That this House has considered Government support for regenerating local high streets and removing unlawful storefronts. Agreed to on question.

Motion, That this House has considered Government support for regenerating local high streets and removing unlawful storefronts. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for regenerating local high streets and removing unlawful storefronts.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz, and a delight to see so many Members present to talk about this important topic. High streets matter: they are one...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for regenerating local high streets and removing unlawful storefronts.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz, and a delight to see so many Members present to talk about this important topic. High streets matter: they are one...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his success in securing this debate, which I suppose is indicative of the crisis that he is talking about. I have secured a similar debate this afternoon on a directly related issue. This demands not only our attention, but immediate Government action, because in...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his success in securing this debate, which I suppose is indicative of the crisis that he is talking about. I have secured a similar debate this afternoon on a directly related issue. This demands not only our attention, but immediate Government action, because in...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing a debate later today. He is absolutely right: the pressure and stress that high streets are under mean that, on the current path, they will be unrecognisable in a decade.

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing a debate later today. He is absolutely right: the pressure and stress that high streets are under mean that, on the current path, they will be unrecognisable in a decade.

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. He mentioned vape shops, barber shops and mini-marts. He will be aware of the evidence that some of those enterprises are masking quite serious organised crime on our high streets. This has been a decades-long failure in regulation. The cracks...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. He mentioned vape shops, barber shops and mini-marts. He will be aware of the evidence that some of those enterprises are masking quite serious organised crime on our high streets. This has been a decades-long failure in regulation. The cracks...

The hon. Member is correct: without doubt, a strong regulatory failure over the past decade has contributed to the problem. I will address some of her points later in my remarks.

There is also a rural/suburban distinction. In rural areas, the British public have a stronger opinion: about 55% of people...

The hon. Member is correct: without doubt, a strong regulatory failure over the past decade has contributed to the problem. I will address some of her points later in my remarks.

There is also a rural/suburban distinction. In rural areas, the British public have a stronger opinion: about 55% of people...

I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate. The issues that he highlights exist across the country. A common struggle for hon. Members across the House is that we cannot find out who owns these buildings on our high streets. I have approached my council, but it either...

I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate. The issues that he highlights exist across the country. A common struggle for hon. Members across the House is that we cannot find out who owns these buildings on our high streets. I have approached my council, but it either...

The hon. Member is correct. At the centre of a Venn diagram of regulatory and reporting blackspots, there is a sweet spot where it is difficult to identify those who are responsible behind the building ownership or the so-called businesses appearing on our high streets as a consequence of the...

The hon. Member is correct. At the centre of a Venn diagram of regulatory and reporting blackspots, there is a sweet spot where it is difficult to identify those who are responsible behind the building ownership or the so-called businesses appearing on our high streets as a consequence of the...

Does the hon. Member agree that in rural areas we need a lot more banking hubs, because the banks are going, and that we should scrap business rates for start-ups and independent businesses? Rural communities are losing shops big time.

Does the hon. Member agree that in rural areas we need a lot more banking hubs, because the banks are going, and that we should scrap business rates for start-ups and independent businesses? Rural communities are losing shops big time.

The hon. Member is correct that the issue is acutely felt in rural areas. I am delighted that the Conservative party has put forward a plan to abolish business rates for thousands of small businesses, including shops, pubs and hospitality businesses on the high street. I will come on to...

The hon. Member is correct that the issue is acutely felt in rural areas. I am delighted that the Conservative party has put forward a plan to abolish business rates for thousands of small businesses, including shops, pubs and hospitality businesses on the high street. I will come on to...

I am grateful to the hon. Member for securing this important debate. York is fortunate that two thirds of its high street businesses are independent, but they are really struggling at the moment, not least because of the costs pressing on their finances—particularly business rates, which have gone up incredibly...

I am grateful to the hon. Member for securing this important debate. York is fortunate that two thirds of its high street businesses are independent, but they are really struggling at the moment, not least because of the costs pressing on their finances—particularly business rates, which have gone up incredibly...

The hon. Member is an ardent champion of her constituency. It is reassuring to hear that her area has a strong and thriving independent sector, but she is right that the first rung of employment for so many has been pulled away from that ladder, in large part because of...

The hon. Member is an ardent champion of her constituency. It is reassuring to hear that her area has a strong and thriving independent sector, but she is right that the first rung of employment for so many has been pulled away from that ladder, in large part because of...