Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of Use Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) on the ability of local authorities to prevent the reopening of vape shops, where no planning permission is required because the use remains within the same use class.

My Department has made no specific assessment of the ability of local planning authorities to prevent the reopening of vape shops, where no planning permission is required because the use remains within the same use class.

The ‘Commercial, business and service’ use class (Class E) encompasses a wide range of uses which attract people to high streets and town centres.

Separately, the sale of tobacco and vaping products is being regulated through the Tobacco and Vapes Act which provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce, within their respective nations, a licensing scheme for the retail sale these products.

The Department for Health and Social Care intend to consult on the new retail licensing scheme next year.