Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support high streets in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.

Revitalising our high streets is a priority for this government. We are taking active steps towards creating better conditions for high street businesses to thrive, including addressing anti-social behaviour and crime, reforming business returns, working with the banking industry to roll out 350 banking hubs, stamping out late payments, empowering communities to make the most of the vacant properties, strengthening the Post Office network, reforming the apprenticeship levy, and business rates.

Our Small Business Strategy Command Paper, to be published in 2025, will set out this Government’s intentions on supporting small businesses across key areas, including thriving high streets.

This will build on targeted high street support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government that is already being delivered in Cheshire.