High Streets Strategy: Business Rates

Lord Brennan of Canton Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Pitt-Watson (Lab)]

This is reflected in the high streets strategy. For example, the hospitality zones within the high streets strategy are making sure that we stop the conflicts that would otherwise arise between residential housing and hospitality in the same place. That is added to the rate reductions that I have talked about. The noble Lord is right that reviving the high streets may mean that there are different sorts of outlets on the high street, and that is very much at the core of the high streets strategy.

[Lord Brennan of Canton (Lab)]

My Lords, earlier this year, the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, and I, along with others, went to visit the Minister’s predecessor, my noble friend Lord Livermore, to discuss the possible extension of business rates relief to recording studios in a similar way that has been granted to other cultural and creative industry facilities. Has any further thought been given to this—I noticed that it was not in the Budget this time—and will my noble friend the Minister undertake to look into it and write to those of us who are interested in the subject?