Oral Answers to Questions

Steve McCabe Excerpts

Monday 8th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Brandon Lewis]

I am sure that the hon. Lady remembers that we have put protections in place for the most vulnerable—councils have a duty to ensure that they look after them. In fact, about 40 authorities actually had an increase this year, because we have moved local government financing from the old Labour style of a begging bowl and “If you do badly, you get more” to a reward-based system whereby if an authority builds houses, it gets money, and if it brings about business growth through business rates retention, it gets more money. Councils can provide better services, work together and be more efficient in that way.

[Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with Mary Portas on the future of the British high street.

[Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab)]

17. What recent discussions he had with Mary Portas on the future of the British high street.

[The Minister for Housing (Mr Mark Prisk)]

Our high streets need to adapt to changing consumer habits. Ministers and officials are therefore working with a wide range of civic and business leaders, including Mary Portas, to strengthen local leadership, reform planning and parking policies, help small shops and boost local markets.

[Steve McCabe]

I recognise the Minister’s good intentions in deregulating classes of use for high street shops, but so that high streets like those in Stirchley and Cotteridge in my constituency do not become swamped with bookmakers, payday lenders and fast food outlets, will he look again at the calls of Mary Portas and others for a special restriction on such development?

[Mr Prisk]

The key is understanding that alongside the planning regulations, there are established licensing arrangements to ensure that the kind of changes that the hon. Gentleman is concerned about—I respect the natural concerns of the community—cannot happen.