Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of vacant shops on high streets in London.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is fully committed to tackling the issue of persistent vacancy in town centres and high streets.
High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) came into effect on 2 December 2024 and are a new permissive power for local authorities in England to auction the lease of commercial high street property that has been vacant for longer than 12 months in a 24-month period.
Furthermore, through the English Devolution Bill, we will introduce a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets. This measure will empower local communities to reclaim and revitalise assets that are important to them such as empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to improve our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support small and medium sized high street businesses with (a) rising rents, (b) business rates and (c) rises in employer National Insurance contributions in Sutton and Cheam constituency.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets. We want to support the businesses and communities that make our town centres successful. To deliver our manifesto pledge on business rates, we intend to introduce permanently tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27. Ahead of these changes being made, we have extended the retail, hospitality and leisure rate relief for one year, at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and frozen the small business multiplier.
The Government has protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all next year, more than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package, and all eligible employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of abolishing residential leaseholds.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to community warm banks in winter 2024-25.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Warm banks are locally led initiatives run by local authorities, charities and voluntary and community organisations.
The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 made available up to £64.7 billion, the majority of which is un-ringfenced in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities.
More broadly, DCMS, through its arms-length funding bodies, provide a range of funds charities and voluntary organisations, including warm banks, can bid for.