Sonia Kumar
Main Page: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)Department Debates - View all Sonia Kumar's debates with the Leader of the House
(1 day, 23 hours ago)
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The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)
Responsibly.
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
Will the Leader of the House agree to a debate on the growing number of empty shops in town centres? In Dudley, the Conservative-hiked parking charges, current poor transport links and antisocial behaviour as well as the rise of online shopping are driving businesses away, damaging our local economy and community life. Town centres are vital spaces where people can meet each other; they foster a sense of belonging and pride, and they need to be revitalised.
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is doing a great job championing Dudley, which she represents. She is absolutely right: town centre regeneration, which has many different facets to it, needs a holistic approach and real leadership. Local areas need the powers, resources and policies to ensure that we can regenerate town centres such as Dudley, as this Government are committed to doing.