Oral Answers to Questions

Jane Stevenson Excerpts

Monday 13th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)]

9. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support for high streets.

[Jane Stevenson (Wolverhampton North East) (Con)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support for high streets.

[James Cartlidge (South Suffolk) (Con)]

15. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department’s support for high streets.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jake Berry]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited Brierley Hill, I am sure to celebrate the fact that it is one of the first 100 places under our future high street fund to receive £150,000 revenue funding to work on the exciting plans to ensure our high streets are fit for the future. My hon. Friend, who is, I think, still the chairman of the all-party group on beer, will be working very hard to make sure our pubs are protected, and we can have micropubs up and down the land.

[Jane Stevenson]

In recent years Wolverhampton city centre and, in my constituency, local centres such as Wednesfield high street have struggled. I am delighted that Wolverhampton city centre will benefit from the Government’s stronger towns fund, but will the Minister work with me so that local traders and retail businesses all over Wolverhampton North East, including market traders in Wednesfield high street—

[Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton, Kemptown) (Lab/Co-op)]

Is Wolverhampton a city?

[Jane Stevenson]

It is a city. Will the Minister work with me so that they feel confident that the Government will support their hard work and further local regeneration?

[Jake Berry]

I am sure that, like me, my hon. Friend is looking forward to playing an active role both in her high street and stronger towns fund bid. The idea behind this is to bring together leaders and communities—Members of Parliament, council leaders, business leaders and third sector groups—to come up with a long-term plan for the improvement of their towns. Whichever side of the House Members sit on, that is absolutely something they will want to see for the area they represent. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend as she takes that role forward.