Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the criteria upon which high street shops were determined to be eligible for rate relief.

The Government published updated guidance to local authorities on the application of the retail discount for 2020-21, on 27 January 2020 which can be found at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/861633/200129_Retail_Discount_Guidance.pdf

The guidance sets out the relevant criteria to enable local authorities to determine which high street properties are eligible for the discount.