Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on business investment, job creation and high street confidence of (a) providing longer notice and implementation periods for significant fiscal and regulatory changes and (b) tackling illicit and persistently non-compliant retail operators.

On significant regulatory changes, the Government seeks to give businesses sufficient notice and implementation time. Departments are also encouraged to use the common commencement dates of 6 April and 1 October to reduce burdens on business.

On tackling illicit and persistently non-compliant retail operators, serious and organised crime has a direct and damaging impact on local communities, undermining legitimate businesses, fuelling wider criminality, and eroding public confidence in the safety and vitality of our high streets. Criminal groups exploit apparently legitimate businesses to conceal their activities, with money laundering playing a key role in allowing these networks to operate and profit.

As such, addressing this threat is a priority for the Government and, on 19 May, the Government announced a £30 million crackdown targeting cash intensive businesses such as barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops operating on our high streets, over three years.