Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to help reduce the rate of nightclub closures.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We recognise the important role night-time economy business plays in supporting local economies and communities. Healthy night-time economy businesses not only support our creative industries, including musicians, DJs and performance artists, but also support tourism and bolster day economy businesses.
This Government is focused on its five-point plan to breathe life back into Britain’s high streets. This work will ensure that our high streets are great places for our businesses, supporting economic growth across the UK.
To deliver the manifesto pledge to protect the high street, from 2026-27, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RV) less than £500,000.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to extend eligibility for business improvement funding provided by her Department to the environmental horticulture sector.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Government offers extensive business support, with over 40 accessible offers to businesses, including in the horticulture industry.
Our Business Support Helpline and Growth Hubs provide advice, guidance, and signposting. Help to Grow: Management offers practical support to improve leadership and management capability. Businesses can access government-backed financial support from the British Business Bank.
Support for the edible and ornamental (environmental) horticulture sectors is provided through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme; all but one of its thematic competitions are in scope for these sectors. The Tree Production Capital Grant funds domestic tree seed and sapling production by supporting expansion, automation, and mechanization.