Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local antisocial behaviour and community safety plans address the potential impact of non-compliant retail premises on crime, antisocial behaviour and perceptions of safety on high streets.

On 19 May, the Government announced a £30 million, three-year crackdown targeting cash-intensive businesses on our high streets, including activity to disrupt money laundering and illegal working.

Operational activity is being coordinated by the National Crime Agency, in conjunction with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, with partner agencies collecting data on enforcement outcomes including premises visited, arrests and seizures.

In parallel, the High Street Organised Crime Unit is developing a longer-term strategic response, including consideration of stronger powers and better coordination to prevent criminal activity. The Unit is working across Government, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and HM Revenue and Customs, to support development of the High Street Strategy.

More broadly, we want local partners to take a joined-up, place-based approach to the problems that make high streets feel unsafe, bringing together policing, local authorities and other agencies to identify and tackle the premises, offenders and locations causing the greatest harm.