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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide guidance on the use of the £300 million fund for local authorities to distribute to help businesses facing higher business rate bills; and, if so, whether this guidance will cover support for bookshops.

The Government will not be providing guidance on the use of the £300 million fund. Under the terms of the £300 million discretionary fund, billing authorities are responsible for designing the criteria of their local schemes and these criteria may include bookshops.