Oral Answers to Questions

Nickie Aiken Excerpts

Monday 13th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Robert Jenrick]

I appreciate the hon. Gentleman’s remarks, and the north-west has been particularly badly affected by this. The statistics suggest that new-build homes in the north-west peaked at as high as 71% of all new homes being built in 2017—in the first quarter of that year. That has now fallen very considerably as a result of the actions and the statements of this Government and the general anger across this House and across the country at the abuses; that has now fallen to as low as 8%, but we will be legislating and we will outlaw these practices.

[Nickie Aiken (Cities of London and Westminster) (Con)]

8. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support for high streets.

[Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)]

9. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support for high streets.

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[Mr Speaker]

You ought to make a donation.

[Nickie Aiken]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply—and I think his tie is very blue.

My constituency, Cities of London and Westminster, is home to Oxford Street, often referred to as the nation’s high street. Given that local authorities rely heavily on business rate receipts to help encourage more investment into the high street, what plans do the Government have to give councils greater fiscal powers to invest business rates locally?

[Jake Berry]

What an excellent question; I would like to start by welcoming my hon. Friend to her place, and her question is a sign of the expertise that can be brought into this House when we have people with long experience in local government. She will know that local government can currently retain 50% of business rates revenue growth, and councils are able to work with those retained business rates and see what they can do to improve their local areas. I know that as a new and robust Member of this House my hon. Friend will continue her work with Westminster City Council to make sure that that happens.