Oral Answers to Questions

Lia Nici Excerpts

Monday 24th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Robert Jenrick]

The hon. Gentleman is right that this is a multifaceted issue. We have ended the freeze on the local housing allowance, so that will rise in the next financial year with the consumer prices index. That will help to make it more affordable for individuals on the lowest incomes to get into homes in the private rented sector, but we will bring together all parts of Government with renewed vigour—whether that is the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office or the Department of Health and Social Care—to ensure that we tackle this issue as never before.

[Lia Nici (Great Grimsby) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to encourage local growth in Great Grimsby.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Mr Simon Clarke)]

Great Grimsby is the Government’s pilot town deal. We are already investing over £40 million across Government to deliver local priorities. We will provide further significant investment through the £3.6 billion towns fund and we have already delivered funding to help to develop local plans for Great Grimsby’s future prosperity and growth.

[Lia Nici]

Will the Minister let me know what the Government are doing to address the number of vacant commercial properties on our high streets, including in constituencies such as mine?